The Symptoms And Treatment Of Temporomendibular Joint Disorder

By Jamal D White


Temporomendibular joint is the hinge joint, which connects the lower mandible to the temporal bone of the skull. This joint is flexible as it allows the jaw to be able to move smoothly side to side and up and down; thus making it easier to chew, yawn and talk. Temporomandibular joint disorder is usually due to problems with this joint and the surrounding facial muscles that control the moving of the jaw and chewing. It is important to know the symptoms and the treatment of this disorder in order to know what to do if you have such a condition.

One of the common symptoms of tmj is pain and tenderness around the face. You are also likely to experience pain in the neck and shoulders, in or around your ear and jaw joint area especially when you chew, open your mouth or even speak. In other words, it becomes virtually impossible to move your mouth without feeling any pain. Even the simple task of opening your mouth becomes a great challenge.

While you open or close the mouth area, you will probably hear some grating, clicking or popping sounds within the jaw joint. Additionally, your jaws can lock either when your mouth is opened or closed. Eating also becomes intolerable because of the discomfort while you open or close the mouth area.

Another common characteristic of bruxism may be the swelling of the face. You might have the entire face inflamed or even the side, which has the joint problem. You may even notice a tired feeling in your face as if something just ran you over.

Tmj symptoms are quite many although these are the most common ones. Once you have noticed that you have these symptoms, the next thing is to take the appropriate treatment in order to get better. One of the common treatments is to ensure that you take soft foods. Soft foods are usually recommended because they are easy to chew and one does not have to strain a lot while chewing these foods.

Ice packs could also prove to be useful. You may even consider using some form of moist heat by placing it on the temple or the side of the face, because this reduces any tension on any tight muscles that might be leading to spasms. When you are done using the moist warmth, you can do some simple exercises like opening your mouth using your hands. There are also other useful exercises that your dentist can recommend you to do in order to get better.

Using splints is another common method of dealing with tmj. Splits work because they avoid the upper and lower teeth from coming together, and thus you cannot clench or grind your teeth. These products are helpful because they make sure that you do not put undue strain on the jaws thus making hard for you to recover.

When you know the different temporomendibular joint disorder signs and symptoms, you will be able to go ahead and take necessary treatment. Additionally, it becomes simpler to handle the problem before it becomes worse. The remedies for such a disorder will also be different depending on the severity of the condition.




About the Author:



0 comments:

Post a Comment