Temporomandibular Joint Disorders or TMD/TMJ is a disorder related to your oral health and hygiene. Temporomandibular is actually a joint which connects your jaw with the temporal bones of a skull that are located in the front of each year in a human structure. The basic functionality of a jaw depends on the temporomandibular Joint and this is the reason why we can move our jaws up and down , sideways and also can use them to chew and talk.
Causes of TMD/TMJ
The actual cause of this disorder is yet not known but it is believed that problems arise when the muscle which is attached with the jaw or the functioning of the joint gets disturbed.
This likely happens because of accidents or when you get a heavy blow to the respective joint while other causes might also induce the onset of Disorders and some of them are mentioned here .
1. Excessive grinding of teeth can result in rupturing and puts more pressure on the joint.
2. Condition of arthritis in the joint.
3. Stress is also considered a factor since it tightens your jaw muscles.
4. The joint is connected by a ball and socket , and any movement of disc between them will cause the disorder.
Symptoms Indicating TMD/TMJ
A lot of uneasy feelings and pain can arise and it may persist for years when you are suffering with the disorder. Women tend to have more chances of having this ailment than men , and the disorder can happen either at one or both sides of your face and it’s most common among the group aged 20 and 40. After years of study, experts at Albany TMD-TMJ treatment were able to list out some symptoms that can Indicate the possible onset of TMD/TMJ.
a) Any discomfort around your ears when you speak , chew or open your mouth wide. Pain in your mouth and joint areas of a joint also do Indicate the same.
b) Locking up your jaw , or getting stuck while your mouth is open or even closed.
c) Feeling of fatigue over your face.
d) Aches in different parts of the mouth and surrounding areas such as toothaches , headaches , neck aches .
e) Clicking and popping sound of the jaw when chewing any food. This can be or cannot be painful.
f) Having trouble eating, and feeling that jaws are not perfectly aligned.
g) Swelling on either side of your face.
h) Other symptoms which are not so common include shoulder pain , ringing in the ears and hearing problems.
TMD/TMJ can be treated either at home or by the Albany orthodontist and we would like to mention some of the remedies related with both treatments.
Home and Professional treatment For TMD/TMJ
Counter Medication: Taking a counter medication such as ibuprofen or non-steroidal inflammatory drugs can ease your pain and swelling.
Applying cold and moist heat packs: Ice packs are common among household treatment and they come in a large variety.
They can be applied over the areas of joints and jaws to help relieve the muscles around them.
Eat Soft and Light Food: Hard and crunchy foods keeps the jaw busy and it can be pressurized in such a way that trigger points can cause pain . So it is advisable to have softer foods that are chewable and dissolve easily.
Using Medical Instruments Like Splint: Splint or night guards are basically the mouthpieces which can perfectly fit over your lower and upper teeth. The basic functionality of splint is to provide stability to the mouth and also improve the positioning of a jaw for favorable conditions.
TENS: TENS or Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation is a type of therapy which uses electric current as a medium to lower your pain in the joints and jaw muscles.
Radio Wave Therapy: The radio wave therapy also uses electric current as a stimulation , to increase the blood flow .
Botulinum Toxin: These are the vaccines used to reduce muscle mass and inflammation to provide relief instantly.
Bottom Line:
The bottomline here is hence to keep a regular check on your overall health because as advised by TMD-TMJ Albany treatment, as you progress towards your mid twenties . Most of the problems tend to develop their symptoms at this stage only and ignoring them will cause pain and discomfort in our body . So it is highly recommended to have a complete health checkup and take necessary precautions while you age .