TMJ Symptoms
79Do You have TMJ Symptoms?
Do you suffer from clicking, popping or grating sounds in the jaw joint? Is it uncomfortable to open your mouth when talking or eating? Or does your jaw lockup on you when you open your mouth? Then you might be suffering from TMJ.
What is TMJ or TMJDs?
Temporomandibular joint and muscle disorders (TMJDs) refer to a set of conditions that can cause pain in the area of the jaw joint and associated muscles and/or problems using your jaw. Both or just one of your TM joints may be affected. TMJDs can affect a your ability to speak, eat, chew, swallow, make facial expressions, and even breathe.
"TMJ" stands for TemporoMandibular Joint, or the jaw joint. You have two TMJs, one in front of each ear, which connect the lower jaw bone to the skull. The joints allow movement up and down, side to side, and forward and back-everything necessary for biting, chewing and swallowing food and for speaking.
If you place your fingers just in front of your ears and open your mouth, you can feel the joint and its movement. When you open your mouth, the rounded ends of the lower jaw (condyles) glide along the joint socket of the temporal bone. The condyles slide back to their original position when you close your mouth. To keep this motion smooth, a soft disc lies between the condyle and the temporal bone. This disc absorbs shock to the temporomandibular joint from chewing and other movements. Of course things don't always work smoothly and problems and disorders may occur.
TMJ disorders fall mainly into three categories. It's possible for you to have one or more of these conditions at the same time:
- Myofascial pain: This is discomfort or pain in the muscles that control jaw your function. It can also extend to the muscles in your neck and shoulders.
- Internal derangement of the joint: This involves displacement of the disc that acts as a cushion between your skull and lower jaw.
- Inflammatory joint diseases: Various forms of Arthritis can affect the joint. In addition, Synovitis, an inflammatory condition of the synovial membrane can also cause TMJ. The synovial membrane lines the joint and produces a fluid that lubricates the joint
What are the different TMJ Symptoms?
- Pain in the facial muscles and jaw joints may radiate to the neck or shoulders. Joints may be overstretched. You may experience muscle spasms from TMJ. You may feel pain every time you talk, chew, or yawn. Pain usually appears in the joint itself, in front of the ear, but it may move elsewhere in the skull, face, or jaw.
- TMJ may cause ear pain, ringing in the ears and even hearing loss. Sometimes people mistake TMJ pain for an ear problem, such as an ear infection, when the ear is not the problem at all.
- When the joints move, you may hear sounds, such as clicking, grating, and/or popping. Others may also be able to hear the sounds. Clicking and popping are common. This means the disc may be in an abnormal position.
- Your face and mouth may swell on the affected side.
- The jaw may lock wide open (then it is dislocated), or it may not open fully at all. Also, upon opening, the lower jaw may deviate to one side. You may find yourself favoring one painful side or the other by opening your jaw awkwardly. These changes could be sudden. Your teeth may not fit properly together, and your bite may feel odd.
- You may have trouble swallowing because of the muscle spasms.
- Headache and dizziness may be caused by TMJ. You may feel nauseous or vomit.
What Causes TMJ?
Not all the causes are known. But, some possible causes include injuries to the jaw area, various forms of Arthritis, genetics, hormones, low-level infections, auto-immune diseases. TMJ may also be due external causes such as:
- Modification of the surfaces of the teeth because of dentistry or accidental trauma.
- Over-opening the jaw beyond its range.
- Sleeping on one's stomach causing strain on the face, neck and lower jaw.
- Speech habits resulting in jaw thrusting.
- Excessive gum chewing or nail biting.
- Excessive jaw movements associated with exercise.
- Repetitive unconscious jaw movements associated with clenching or grinding your teeth.
- Size of foods eaten.
Is there anything I can do to alleviate my TMJ Symptoms?
If your jaw is locked open or closed, go to a hospital's emergency department.
- The open locked jaw is treated by sedating you to a comfortable level. Then the mandible is held with the thumbs while the lower jaw is pushed downward, forward, and backward.
- The closed locked jaw is treated by sedating you until you are completely relaxed. Then the mandible is gently manipulated until the mouth opens.
However, if you're like most suffers, your TMJ symptoms are temporary and last only weeks or months, simple care is all that is usually needed to relieve the discomfort:
- Eating soft foods.
- Applying ice or moist heat .
- Avoiding extreme jaw movements (such as wide yawning, loud singing, and gum chewing)
- Anti-inflammatory pain medications such as aspirin or acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin, Aleve) may ease the pain of TMJ
In rare instance if your symptoms severe and you're not finding relief from the treatments suggested above, there are several irreversible surgical treatments available:
- Manual adjustment of the bite by grinding the teeth.
- Mandibular repositioning splints which move the jaw, ligaments and muscles into a new position.
- Extensive dental work such as crown and bridge work to balance the bite.
- Orthodontics
- Surgical procedures
- Replacement of the jaw joint(s) or disc(s) with TMJ implants should be considered only as a treatment of last resort. TMJ implants are intended to improve jaw function. Pain alone is not a reason to undergo a TMJ replacement procedure; often, after surgery, the pain level stays the same or even increases.
Most people find that simply eating soft foods and pain medication isn't quite enough, while surgery is too intrusive and unnecessary. Chances are you'll find that the solution that's right for you lies somewhere in the middle.
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Comments
God bless you. Sometimes, being so rushed and out of place at the doctor, they tell you what is wrong, but not the hows and whys of it, and I would've never known any of this.
hello i just suffered from tmj about a month agao my mouth would not close and i could not breath anyone suffering from this should talk to a specialist
My dentist prescribed a mouth guard. I have suffured symtoms of an on for a year now. I have used the night guard for over 4 months. For the past few months, the symptoms have increased. The info found on this site has been helpful. I plan to see a specialist asap.
Ha thanks for the information about TMJ. I had a fall and landed directley on my butt, I have pains from my butt to my skull. the next morning I found that from the fall a filling came out of my back tooth.My jaw hurt along with the ringing in the ears an a dentist said that there is know way that the fall could have caused my TMJ problem, which I had no problem with any tooth or jaw pain till I fell. Thank you for the message to help others. God Bless widower
STAYING POSITIVE THAT IT WILL GO AWAY IS KEY........THE MORE MY MIND IF OFF OF IT, THE MORE I SEE IMPROVEMENT.
INTERNET SITES ARE NEGATIVE....STAY POSITIVE. IT WILL GO AWAY
I have had severe pain, clicking, and popping in my ears for almost a year. The doctor treated me for ear infections each and everytime i complained of these symptoms. Thank you for the valuble information---now I know I had been misdiagnosed and will seek proper treatment in the hopes of finding some relief, for the pain has become unbearable.
Had TMJ replacement after 2o plus yrs of pain, migrane pain in neck, shoulders and ears.
TMJ surgery has made it worse
Had TMJ replacement after 2o plus yrs of pain, migrane pain in neck, shoulders and ears.
TMJ surgery has made it worse
nowHad TMJ replacement after 2o plus yrs of pain, migrane pain in neck, shoulders and ears.
TMJ surgery has made it worse
now onTHANX ALOTONLY ONE SIDE MAKE ME CRAZYEVEN WITH TREATMENTI DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE MOVING MY MANDIBLEI AM AFRAID BUT I WILL TRY TO ACT ON UR ADVICESTHANX ALOT
had tmj for over 5 yrs sometimes feel i losing my mind with all the different pains in my body doc,s say it all to do with tmj spasm,s
I have had TMJ for about 3 weeks now. This is driving me crazy. I saw a dentist and he prescribed me a muscle relaxer and told me to wear my mouth guard. I am reading what all of you have said and to think I may have this pain for forever scares me to death!!!!!
surrender it up to god. do not identify with it as "my tmj." it is temporary. when your focus is off the "temporary" condition, it will go away.
faith
april,
the release of fear is a small price to pay for absolute healing........no fear. Do not focus on the negativity of all the tmj horror stories......
all physical stems from the emotional........
when you begin to let go, relax, pray, do whatever you need to do to calm your being....it will go away.
lol
Also had surgery..5 of them. Last one was 22 years ago. The pain increased and never went away. Last specialist I saw told me I should never have another surgery because the facial muscles could become paralysed. I eat only once a day..Around 8 p.m., so it doesn't hurt so much during the day, then I try to sleep the pain away. I weigh 88 pounds and usually sleep 4 hours a night at the most. My TMJ is due to an accident..The pain is on the left and right side..Please, Try everything before going through surgery!
im have tmj but i dont know what to do cause most of my pain come from the top or crown of my head
ive had this condition since i was about 13 im now 40 the only symtons i have are the popping in both jaws and on the rare time my jaws will lock its not a problem for me,i just thank god i d'ont suffer any pain,
i am also suffering from tmj, sometimes i am depress when symptoms attacks! i really need support and prayers to fight for it that is my family. i hope all sick persons. prayer is so miraculous!
Three years ago my brother hit me on the side of the face with a shoe, and pretty much dislocated my jaw. I am now 14 and I have tmj, my dentist is crazy and told me it was stress and that i shouldnt chew gum and what not, i havent chewed gum in 3 months and it has gotten way worse, i saw a doctor about a week ago and she said i have severe seperation. I am going to the doctor again tomorrow, and i hope i can fix this. Tmj is a problem, and anyone who even THINKS they have it should see a doctor immediatly.
I can't believe that this wasn't already mentioned but there are some advanced massage therapy options to alleviate the pain and tension associated with TMJ. Neuromuscular Massage Therapy (NMT) is a specific type of massage that addresses chronic tension and pain. Find a LICENSED massage therapy that has had extensive training in NMT that was also trained in how to do intra-oral work on TMJ patients. St. John's Neuromuscular is the system that many massage schools train new therapists in, although it appears that St. John himself has developed a new sub-technique of his original form. NMT is a combination of manual trigger point therapy (instead of injections) and St. John's (or similar minded practitioners) theories. See more info about NMT at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuromuscular_therapy
I personally graduated from Southeastern School of Neuromuscular and Massage Therapy in Charlotte, NC but they have multiple schools located in different places. Commonly experienced teachers maintain some type of clinic at the schools themselves, so you may be able to get treatment there. You can also check the AMTA's (American Massage Therapy Association) website for NMT practitioners.
I can tell you from experience (I have been a massage therapist for 10 years now) that NMT for TMJ pain works. I have worked on many clients through the years and relief can come from as little as 1 session or as many as 10. If you've tried the night guards, been to the dentist and the oral surgeon, have to take pain medication religiously just to get through the day, have migraines or headaches, or perhaps have even gotten Botox injections for the pain, then you owe it to yourself to give it a try! There way to many things that you have to do rather than put up with this condition. Don't give up! There is hope. And no... it doesn't always "just go away".
Best of luck to you all.
I have a major cracking in my jaw everytime I open and close my mouth I also have sever tinnitus. Could my tinnitus be caused by my TJM. I have gone through the ENT doctor and had MRI,s but they have found nothing causing my tinnitus. My last resort seems to be my dentist. Does this make sense.
Bruce 88
I have had TMJ for about a year now. It is definately the most annoying disorder. Trying to sleep at night is torture. At times my head startes to vibrate which makes it impossible to fall asleep. Sometimes I think I might have a brain disorder or something, but I already got a ct scan which proves other wise. The doctor told me I was fine and its all in my head.
i Knew i was crazy. I searched my symptoms online and thats how I found out that it called TMJ. I'vew been to the dentist and he gave me a night guard. It works a little but now it has gotten worse.
Now I'm going to the oral dentist again and hes going to do some massage therapy on my jaw. I'm just going to pray that it works.
I have those clicking sounds in my ear when I yawn - does that mean I have TMJ?
My daughter has right ear to lower jaw pain can this be tmj? also she can open her mouth very little to hardly at all can someone help? Thanks , Charlene
I had 3 grandmal seizures a couple of weeks ago and since then my jaw hurts and sometimes causes my ear to ache. Im thinking I may have TMJ has anyone
i feel i have TMJ too but i pray hard. god can ease all the pain.... any way may godbless you all. all of your worries all of your sickness and pain. just talk to me if you want some advice or someone to talk. my yahoo messager id is :ice4rent
I started suffering from TMJ about a month ago. It was the worst in the mornings. It felt like I had to pry my mouth open and when I finally did, a loud popping noise sounded off that was very scary. With every bite of food my jaw was clicking & clicking away. And I would get pain in my ear and upper jaw bone that lasted throughout the day. I started to take a pain reliever which only helped a little. Then I tried putting some Bio Freeze on the outside of my cheek along the jaw line. Don't ask me why I tried this. My husband goes to a chiropractor and brings home sample packets. What a relief!!!! I did this for 2 days and I can now eat foods without any popping or pain. I feel like I am cured. I don't know if this will work for you but it's worth a try. I was just experimenting and am so happy I can open & shut my mouth without the pain or the popping & clicking.
If you have TMJ and its symptom was tinnitus can the tinnitus be removed if the TMJ is fixed?
I found this website and finally feel some relief to see some Prayer warriors out there that are trusting GOD to heal their TMJ. I had an equilibration done that seems to have messed up my bite and this caused me TMJ problems, jaw popping/tightness, neck stiffness/crackling when I moved neck, and alot of pressure on front teeth that has casued me to grind now during day and night. All dentists can recommend is an expensive nightguard. I went to my primary doctor that is covered under my insurance and he prescribed an anti-inflammatory drug called Mobin for a few weeks. I've only started taking it but it seems to help a bit. I also bought a few nightguards over the counter and these help to prevent the grinding but not sure how good they are as far as not making my TMJ worse so I am watching my symptoms when I wear them. I also do some jaw and neck exercises and apply a massage hot/cold lotion to my jaw area and neck. I like the comments here about staying positive and trusting GOD, because fear does want to creep in after reviewing horror stories in internet. But GOD is our supernatural healer and I pray against all TMJ symptoms for all people on this site. Help them Lord and be our healer in Jesus Name.
I have suffered from TMJ for about 5 yrs. I had the mouth guard from the dentist and was told to wear it 24/7 but it hurt like hell. I can't chew gum & if I do i am in pain for hours after. I also suffer from horrible migraines. I have the poping sound every time I open my mouth. I don't know what else to do for this painful condition.
I feel for you all I've had TMJ for seven years. I've been to several doctors and tried all kinds of medication but the sad thing is I'm allergic to most pain medications. BUT I now have relief, a woman told me to buy a small hand massager with a strong vibrate and use it as often as needed. I did research and found all the trigger points and now I am one happy woman. Its easy Its convient and you can use it anywhere and in about 10 to 15 min I am pain free. I thank God for her I'm not cured but I don't cry anymore and I'm back to my old life again without medication and spending a lot of money. It gets better everyday. Thank you Jesus.
I have been fighting TMJ for about 15 years now. Lost lots of weight due to not eating and for the last 10 years have been on very soft (soup, yogurt, mashed potatoes..) and then about 2 years ago I stopped even that and now can only get a few Boost plus drinks down to keep on weight and get nutrients. And drink italian ice or gatorades. That's it! I live on Boost and Italian ices. I have pain, cracking.. bottom jaw is back much further then the top and feels as if it is going further and further back. Was in a head on collision when I was twenty so assume this is the cause?? Now I always feel like I am choking or soemhtign is getting stuck in my throat so hardly drink anything as it hurts so to swallow nad tell you the truth I am scared as I feel like I will choke everytime. I don't even like to swallow my saliva. Every dr now tells me to do the surgery and have 2 friends who did it and who say do the surgery but so many people say not to do the surgery?! I am so confused - what to do?????
Physical therapist work in conjunction with Dentist and Doctors in this area and can provide A LOT of relief b/c they'll pair with with you--give you specific ways to control you pain and fix the problem from a mechanical point of view. They can help get your pain/popping/ear pain/ringing under control and then teach you ways to prevent it from happening again..or what to do if it does. From my experience, you need to call a PT in your area and ask if they can refer you to one that specializes or works with the TMJ.
I've had tmj for about 6 years now and it's getting progressively worse and more debilitating. I've worn splints but stopped for a long time and have had a consultaion with a TMJ consultant and surgeon, not having surgery but need a brace called a williams brace to widen my upper set of teeth..to give my jaw space to move forward and the discs to come back into the right position.....I get inflamation, muscular tension and pain in jaw, nect shoulders, dizzy spells, speech difficulty, anxiety, breathing problems...awful!!!!massage helps temporarily...I have found ginko biloba drops, plus gotu cola drops are great to help restore my concentration and functioning, ...find these in any health food store..I take relaxing essence at night with helps me sleep by Jan de Vries..otherwise i would not sleep..also take two magnesium and calcium tablets at night to relax...also a tip...Dr Hauschka has a body oil called St Johns Wort....what u need to do is rub it into your body and leave soak in for 30 minutes before you have a shower, then you must have a hot shower, go to bed...u will sleep like a baby and wake up feeling like you did before the horrible TMJ set in....the oil massaged in helps calm the central nervous system...which is greatly effected by this condition..hope this helps...all of these things have really helped me xxx
I also have had a horrible experience with TMJ after having a wisdom tooth extracted, and a few fillings done. My teeth weren't coming together right, and I had excruciating pain in my eyes, face, head, neck, and back. The worst part about my situation is that I'm a dental assistant, and work for a dentist. To expect for him to fix my problems every day that I went to work, turned out to be completely heart breaking, and brought more stress on, when he failed day after day. I had the nightguard, and was pretty much wearing it constantly. He prescribed muscle relaxers that seemed to make me wired instead of relaxed. I saw the TMJ specialist, who wasn't very compassionate, or helpful at all. He referred me to a stress reduction therapist. It was like everyone doubted my pain, and made me feel like I was crazy which was turning me into a raging bull. I started having panic attacks, and saw my medical doctor who then put me on ativan. It helped more than anything else I had tried to relax the muscles in my face, keep the rest of me calm enough to not become a raging lunatic, and without turning me into a walking zombie. I then started adjusting my own teeth gradually to make my bite feel more normal, (fortunately I could do that working in a dental office, and had the things I needed to do it accurately, so please don't attempt to do that, because that could open up a whole other can of worms, and make your tmj worse) and found this video on youtube...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1O8ArvMOzqQ
Please watch it, and practice these stretches. I suffered for many months with pain, and these moves help when I feel the muscles in my face tensing up, and my bite feeling like it's off when I'm really stresed. I am no longer on ativan, nor do I use my guard. I'll only use the guard if my jaw pops when I open, and close but that happened only in the middle of the worst part of my tmj disorder. I know it's easier said than done, but do your best to try, and calm down. Don't become outraged when the people you seek help from don't have the answers, and seem to think you're crazy, because your condition is very real. These doctors send us away because they're not qualified, or experienced enough to fix our problems. Educate yourself, and keep in mind that it's only temporary. I just had another filling done which I was dreading, and before he asked me to bite down on the paper, I told him to give me a few minutes, and I did the stretches in the video. I didn't care what he thought. In life you have to do what works for you! If hanging upside, or doing a handstand for 10 minutes fixes my problem, I would have done that right then, and there. haha I wish you all the very best!
mads78 says:
2 years ago
Hi Phillip,
I'm glad that you posted this information on TMJ. I'm especially glad you listed ways to alleviate symptoms! For the past month only one side of my jaw has been absolutely killing me. I fit all of the symptoms that you described. At this point, all I want is relief. Thank you for your help and nice Hub!
Jill (mads78)