Problems of the jaw joint are usually symptoms of of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome. The human body has two TMJs in the face, one on each side. The TMJs link your lower jawbone to the skull, but the term also includes the muscles, bones, nerves, blood vessels, and other parts that work in sync to open and close the mouth. TMJ syndrome manifests itself through intense pain in facial joints and muscles, headaches, bite problems, locked jaws, and pain in the head, neck, ears and throat.
Some actions are suspected to cause TMJ syndrome. Do you grind your teeth at night while sleeping? Go see an orthodontist. They can provide mouth splints or mouth guards to be worn at night while you sleep. Wearing these will protect your teeth and relax your jaws. Do you bite your nails? If you bite your nails, quit nail biting. Go online and look up “quit nail biting”. You will find a lot of resources to help you quit. Maybe you enjoy chewing ice or gum. Cracking ice or chewing gum might seem harmless enough, but it’s not. Frequent or long-term ice or gum chewing contributes to muscle fatigue or pain. Are you wearing ill-fitting dentures? Go to your dentist and have a new denture fitted.
Do you clench your jaws without knowing it? Stressed people are the ones who usually exhibit this. Some medical professionals attribute TMJ syndrome to stress. As such, they recommend stress relieving techniques, such as yoga and meditation, apart from stress management counseling. How about those poorly aligned teeth? These will require the assistance of an orthodontist. Hopefully, no one has punched you in the face to cause trauma. Facial trauma has also been presumed to cause TMJ syndrome.
If you are suffering from jaw pain, then have your symptoms checked out by a physician with expertise in TMJ syndrome. You should expect to have your TMJs examined by your doctor for a proper diagnosis. Once it has been determined to be TMJ syndrome, ask your doctor about possible TMJ treatment options. Ask for home remedies such as taking an anti-inflammatory medicine, applying a heating pad or an ice pack, using a mouth splint, and resting the jaw. Such home remedies alleviate the pain caused by TMJ syndrome.
The most important step you can take in dealing with your TMJ syndrome is to identify the sources of stress in your life. Pay close attention to your attitude and habits. Is your stress caused by things you constantly think about? Do you work on constant stress mode? Do you find yourself blowing things out of proportion? Only you can manage your own stress levels. Try to relax. Keep in mind that what causes TMJ syndrome remains unknown, despite numerous research being done.