TMJ Pain and Treatment 

 

You may know someone who has complained of having "TMJ", but yet really had no idea of what it was, or what TMJ Pain and Treatment entailed. The TMJ refers to the temporomandibular joint, the joint which allows your jaw to swing open and closed. A number of conditions can cause problems in the joint, and there are many different treatments available which can resolve those issues.

 

The Causes of TMJ Pain

TMJ pain can come from many different sources. The most common cause for TMJ pain, however, is overuse of the jaw muscles, especially those related to chewing, as a result of stress. Increased stress can cause abnormal hyperactivity of the jaw muscles, especially at night when you sleep. This will cause you to grind your teeth, potentially damaging them, but it will also cause still, sore, and painful jaw muscles and muscles of the temple, thus potentially causing headaches. Referred pain from any of these sites will also cause headaches in those distant areas.

 

Another reason for TMJ pain is the presence of a tumor. Tumors can grow and exert pressure in the area, thus causing pain

 

TMJ may also occur in the case of neuromuscular diseases. Diseases like fibromyalgia may indeed be involved in jaw muscle pain which then transfers or manifests in the TMJ.

 

Adhesions within the joint itself, formed due to trauma or perhaps idiopathically, can also cause pain or difficulty in opening the mouth.

 

In the 1980s, placement of an artificial TMJ replacement was considered a state-of-the-art treatment. All such implants have failed, and that, too, has caused TMJ pain and difficulty.

 

The Treatment for TMJ

In most cases, the first line and ideal treatment for TMJ is conservative. Anti-inflammatory medications are prescribed, and certain jaw muscle stretching exercises are recommended. Additionally, special breathing exercises and relaxation techniques are taught, that way stress-reduction can be brought into play, thus reducing the quantity of night-time grinding. The next step is the fabrication of a night or mouth guard to help protect the teeth from the effects of grinding.

 

In the event of trauma or tumors, a surgical approach is almost always taken, followed by the aforementioned therapies.

 

If adhesions are the problem within the TMJ, then physical therapy with stretching exercises is attempted first. If these exercises do not weaken or cause the disruption of the adhesions, then minimally-invasive arthroscopic surgery is indicated to remove the adhesions.

 

TMJ Pain and treatment comes in many different forms. Stress is the most common causative agent for TMJ problems, and the most conservative therapies, such as anti-inflammatory medications and relaxation/stress reduction therapy are the most common and effective solutions.

 

The Harley Street Dental Clinic is one of the leading TMJ treatment clinic, and can be contacted on 020 7486 1059 or info@hsdc.net.