What are TMJ disorders? The TMJ or temporomandibular joint is similar to a sliding hinge that connects your jaw to your skull. There is one joint on each side of your jaw. When you have TMJ disorders (or TMD), you will have pain in your jaw joint and in the muscles controlling jaw movement.
Pinpointing the cause of TMJ disorders can be difficult. Pain is often due to a variety of factors such as genetics, an injury to the jaw, or arthritis. It may also be an end result of someone clenching or grinding their teeth.
Most of the time, TMJ disorders can be dealt with easily because they are usually temporary. Home remedies or other non-surgical care can often help. Surgery is only suggested as a last resort when all other forms of therapy have failed. But before considering surgery, continue reading this article for a natural solution proven to work.
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You may have some of the following symptoms if you have a TMJ disorder:
You may also notice a clicking sound or a feeling of grating when you open your mouth or chew. However, if you have jaw clicking and no pain or limitation of movement when you open your jaw, you probably do not need to be cared for in relation to TMJ disorders. If you do have tenderness or pain in your jaw, or you cannot open or close your jaw entirely, you may need to look into having further care.
Taking a closer look at how the jaw functions can help us have insight into how TMD develops. The joint is like a hinge with sliding motions. The bones that interact in the joint are protected by cartilage and are separated by a small shock-absorbing disk to keep the movement smooth. If any of the following happen, you can develop TMJ disorders:
However, in many cases, the cause of TMJ disorders are unknown.
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You may be more likely to develop TMJ disorders if you also suffer from certain kinds of arthritis (such as rheumatoid and osteoarthritis) or if you have ever had a jaw injury. If you are a long-term jaw clencher or grinder, you are at risk for TMJ disorders. Also, certain connective tissue diseases can negatively affect the temporomandibular joint.
If you visit your local family physician for your TMJ disorder pain, he or she will probably feel your jaw when you open and close your mouth, along with listening for popping or cracking. Doctors will also take note of the range of motion in your jaw. They may press on certain areas around your jaw to locate the exact location of pain. In addition, the following tests may be ordered:
Some doctors may recommend taking the following medications:
Some non-drug therapies exist as well:
The atlas, or C1 vertebra, is the top bone of the neck, and it is located close to the ear and jaw. It is susceptible to misaligning due to its mobility and shape. It only takes a mild blow to the head or neck, a serious fall, whiplash, or other trauma to the head to cause this bone to misalign. Even if it is misaligned by only ¼ of a millimeter, the rest of the body can pay the price. Facial nerves, the ear, and the jaw can be negatively impacted. Jaw alignment can become thrown off, inflammation can occur in the TMJ area, and muscles in this location can become irritated. All of this can lead to TMJ disorders.
Upper cervical chiropractors are specifically trained to find these misalignments and work at correcting the problem. We use special imaging methods to help us see the exact location of the misalignment. We then use a gentle, low-force correction to encourage the bone to move back into its original location. This can ease up the pain of TMJ disorders as the body begins to heal the damage done from the misalignment. Patients often feel some immediate relief and continued benefits over a period of time.
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