Archive for September, 2009

TMJ Bruxism

September 28th, 2009

A TMJ disorder is a malfunctioning of the temporo mandibular joint while bruxism is teeth grinding. One needs to understand that these are two independent conditions and may occur together or independently. Bruxism or teeth grinding is a condition where the person moves the teeth sideways either consciously or unconsciously in sleep. It is not necessary that a person having bruxism symptoms must have a TMJ disorder or a person with a TMD must show symptoms of bruxism.

Bruxism or teeth grinding may cause damage of the teeth resulting in the bite being over closed. This condition may affect the TMJ resulting in a TMJ disorder. Some ascribe bruxism to stress. A bit of relaxation and rest can definitely reduce the habit of grinding and gnashing of teeth. The actual reason for teeth grinding is that when the jaw is in an inappropriate position, the jaw muscles try to move it to a more comfortable position resulting in back and forth movement of the teeth. Signs of bruxism are worn out teeth, absence of gum disease yet the gums are receded, face looks small between the nose and the chin, headaches and a tired look on the face in the morning.

The bruxism may result in the jaw joint receding backwards and compress the nerves and blood vessels causing facial pain, neck pain, headaches and even jaw pain. The cartilage disc may get displaced resulting in clicking noise while opening and closing the jaw. Hence bruxism may cause a condition of TMJ.

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TMJ Neck Pain

September 28th, 2009

Are you suffering from chronic neck pain and finding it difficult to figure out the reason why? Is your medical practitioner suggesting reasons that don’t seem right to you? Are you experiencing a problem with your jaws ie in chewing, talking, biting and the like? In case your answer is yes then probably you are suffering from a temporomandibular disorder.

TMJ neck pain occurs when you already have a problem with your TMJ. Sometimes people may mistake your neck pain for other ailments like arthritis but in case you are having a jaw problem then this could be the cause. Symptoms of TMJ neck pain are pain in the shoulder and neck, pain in the facial area, pain while chewing, swallowing, opening and closing the jaws and the like.

Sometimes while having a TMJ disorder one would not be able to open or close the mouth it may get stuck…or there may be a clicking sound while chewing or eating. You may experience pain or tenderness in face, jaw area, around the ears which may sometimes hurt a lot. You may also have headaches, ear problems, dizziness or toothaches. The cause for TMJ could be an accident, some kind of blow in the face, long dental visit, mispositioning of the jaws by birth or some problem in the jaws.

Stress could be one of the causes of TMJ neck pain so keep yourself relaxed and happy, avoid stressful things and try to enjoy life.

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TMJ Facial Pain

September 28th, 2009

TMJ Facial pain is a result of some problem in the TMJ which could be caused either due to some accident, a long dental visit, a wrong structure of the jaw bone, some impact to the bone, nail biting or even gum chewing on a very regular basis. One must realize the cause of the facial pain and not credit it to some other problem resulting in wrong treatment. TMJ facial pain may also be caused by a bad bite i.e the upper and lower jaws do clench correctly you can hear a click sound which is an indication of a disorder. Another common cause is stress though it is not the sole cause. So do not blame a TMJ completely on stress but it can definitely aggravate in TMJ condition and cause more discomfort. SO if you are suffering from TMJ facial pains first try to relax and keep yourself away from any activities that would cause tension.

TMJ Facial pain would be experienced in the face, ears, and headaches sometimes occurring without any rhyme or reason. You suddenly would experience pain and wonder where it came from, there could also be swelling of the cheeks.

While having TMJ Facial pain your ears may feel clogged or kind of closed, the joints of the jaw would hurt while you chew and sometimes you may hear clicking sounds. When you yawn or do a lot of speaking you may experience stiffening of your facial muscles and fatigue. You may have the habit of teeth clenching either during sleep or while you are awake or probably while very tensed or angry. It is possible that you are not able to freely open or close your mouth or even move it sideways while keeping your mouth open.

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TMJ Headache

September 28th, 2009

Have you been thinking that TMJ is a condition that only affects the jaws? Though the pain originates in the jaw area it can spread to the face and even to the temple region in the head causing TMJ Headache. The pain may be felt throughout the head or only in the temple region. Generally physicians may confuse your TMJ Headache with sinus or migraine though there is a greater possibility to be a victim of TMJ headache if you already have the above problems.

The root cause of the headache is the jaw problem so you must make sure to meet a dentist and first get treatment for the same. Remember the pain will not vanish on its own, it may last for even a two to three months. The result would be increased fatigue, sloppiness in work and eventually would affect your work performance and your life style as a whole. You may not be able to sleep well, interact well with others and surely it would make you feel low.

Any health condition can be overcome by meeting the right medical practitioner, preferably someone who is well versed with TMJ problems and having a positive attitude. IF your mind gives up automatically the body also slows down and your health only tends to deteriorate. In case the pain is unbearable you can try an over the counter pain killer or one prescribed by your practitioner. One of the major reasons for TMJ headache is stress, so you must find ways to relax. Keep a positive mind, be cool and relaxed, avoid doing things that would cause you to be tensed. Try relaxing exercises like yoga, meditation, or a quiet holiday by the seaside.

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TMJ Jaw Pain

September 28th, 2009

The term TMJ may not be very familiar to you or probably you have heard that a friend is suffering from the disorder and wonder what it is. TMJ is Temporomandibular Joint dysfunction and causes discomfort in the movement of the jaw muscles, the surrounding nerves and ligaments. TMJ jaw pain may be found either in the muscles of the jaw or could also be in the joints. Sometimes the jaw pain could be really painful and may begin suddenly. The reasons are varied, may be a long dental visit, an accident or could have begun all of a sudden.

Firstly, let us see the symptoms of TMJ Jaw pain…you may have chronic pain in the jaws, difficulty to eat, chew or swallow, swelling, difficulty to smile and talk. It is a very strange situation as you look absolutely alright and others may fail to understand your discomfort. Another common symptom is jaw joint clicking causing a sound which may or may not be painful. But since this occurs due to irregular movement of the jaws it would cause pain and swelling. Headache is another common symptom.

If you suspect TMJ Jaw Pain, the best thing to do is visit a dentist. Negligence may make things worse and result in more chronic pain. The dentist may supply you with a dental appliance to support your jaws. There are several ways to cause temporary relief. Firstly, you can dip hand towels in a tub of hot water, wring the water, and place them on both the jaws. Then open and close your jaws repeatedly…the heat will cause blood flow as well as cleaning the waste products that have accumulated causing relief. Another good way of feeling better is to try a gentle massage. By gently using your fingers rub the muscles inside and outside the mouth. Another way is to have a hot water bath in a bath tub with your face completely immersed.

While suffering from TMJ Jaw pain the tendency is to avoid food and keep worrying about the pain. But eating less will cause further problems hence one should make sure you eat a nutritious diet. Deficiencies in vitamin C and E may cause this pain or could be some mineral deficiency like magnesium or calcium. SO even if you find it difficult to chew try a liquid diet but make sure you eat well. You may try over the counter pain killers if the pain is unbearable. Ibuprofen is commonly used or you could try any such medicine. But remember these are just temporary remedies and not a permanent solution.

If you are a TMJ Jaw pain patient and really would like to experience relief…avoid stress. When one is really angry, tensed or furious we tend to grind our teeth. Stress is a common cause of jaw pain so be sure you remain relaxed. Be positive, think of good things and always believe that all will be well soon.

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