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.
