TMJ Symptoms And How You Can Make Sure If You Have It Or Not
Temporomandibular joint disease is a condition wherein the joint that is responsible for connecting the skull to the jaw becomes inflamed. It causes difficulty in opening the mouth and moving the jaw. It also becomes painful for the sufferer to do so. Patients may also experience headaches, nausea and may have an infection inside of the mouth.
A variety of treatments are available to patients. Granting that it is caught early, the swelling can be corrected with jaw exercises or the use of a nighttime biofeedback headband. If the condition becomes too severe though, it will need long term treatment and sometimes, patients need to go under the knife in order for the malfunction to be corrected. As you can see, being able to diagnose the condition early is very important so one needs to know the various TMJ symptoms.
TMJ symptoms vary and some may be experienced by the patient while some are not. The indications vary from patient to patient since the condition can be caused by many things. One of its causes can be a dental problem. One dental problem that may cause the syndrome is unaligned teeth as it makes the jaw contract in an abnormal way, putting more pressure to the jaw and the joint. People who lack an overbite are also prone to the condition.
The joint may also be swollen by using the jaw excessively. Excessive gum chewing and opening of the mouth are examples of jaw overuse. Bruxism, the clenching of one's teeth unconsciously during his or her sleep, also stresses the jaw. Injuries to the jaw may also cause the joint to swell.
TMJ symptoms include: difficulty in biting or chewing, clicking or popping noises when opening or closing the mouth, earaches and headaches in the morning, hearing loss, migraines, pain in the jaw and reduced ability to open or close the mouth. Tinnitus is also considered as a symptom of this disease. Tinnitus is the perception of sound in the ear but an external source is absent.
If you are experiencing any of this, it's best to see a doctor soon. If you have a dental problem and you think that it is the cause, then you may also see a dentist. Again, it is real important for you to know early if you have it or not for it may require extreme measures for it to be cured if left ignored.
Temporomandibular joint syndrome is a condition wherein the joint that connects the skull to the jaw becomes swollen. Treating it can be easy as doing morning exercises or complicated as having to go under operation. In order to avoid costly treatment, you have to recognize TMJ symptoms and catch it early on.
Published August 15th, 2011
Filed in Health