What Can You Do About TMJ Symptoms and Pain?

Between 25 and 30% of Canadians suffer from temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders. Sometimes you’ll see them referred to as “TMD.” If you experience unexplained neck or face pain, jaw pain or difficulty opening or closing jaw fully, headaches and earaches, or hear a clicking sound when opening your jaw, you may be included in that group. For Canadians suffering from TMJ disorders, the source of their pain is dysfunction or damage to the joint or hinge attaching your lower jaw to your skull on each side of your face. If you place your finger on the side of your face and open and close your jaw, you’ll feel that hinge and joint at work.

Depending on how long you’ve lived with TMJ symptoms, they may have by now become a fact of your life that you’re resigned to. For several reasons, you should not consign yourself to a life characterized by face, neck and jaw pain. Those symptoms can be treated effectively and failure to get treatment can cause serious problems, including: 

●     The issues causing your TMJ symptoms may also be cause other issues such as headaches, migraines, dizziness and vertigo, numbness in your fingers and even neck and back pain

●     Untreated TMJ symptoms and disorders can interfere with your ability to eat, talk and laugh naturally and undermine your enjoyment of life — personally, socially and professionally. 

●      Many of the symptoms of TMJ disorders overlap with symptoms of other even more troubling conditions, including oral cancer. Consulting with a dentist near you will give them a chance to rule out more serious and potentially life-threatening causes of similar symptoms.

What causes temporomandibular joint disorders and pain?

There are a wide variety of known causes of TMJ pain and others that continue to be investigated. In addition to those known causes, there are other known risk factors for increasing your risk of experiencing TMJ-related pain. Causes of pain affecting your TMJ include: trauma or dysfunction affecting the muscles that control your jaw and that connect your neck and shoulder muscles to your face and jaw muscles; damage in the internal portions of the TMJ joint itself, such as a dislocated or displaced disc; and degenerative conditions affecting the joint, such as arthritis. 

What can you do about your TMJ symptoms?

There are several things that you can do yourself to ease the discomfort associated with TMJ pain. Self-help remedies, including: eating softer foods and avoiding hard and hard-to-chew foods; applying a cold compress to your jaw or the side of your face; avoiding fully opening your jaw; practicing stress-reduction and relaxation exercises; gently stretching your jaw; and performing or receiving soft tissue massage.

Dentists can help provide or ensure that you receive TMJ treatment near you. Does that surprise you? Tell your dentist about any TMJ-related symptoms you’ve been experiencing. A TMJ dentist near you may take x-rays and examine your face and jaw to identify teeth and jaw-related issues that may be contributing to your discomfort. Pain associated with TMJ disorder can often be eased or even eliminated by wearing a custom-fit nightguard provided by your dentist in Brandon to properly position and protect your teeth. Don’t settle for an off-the-shelf or boil-and-bite mouth guard. They will not provide the relief you need. 

In other cases, making minor changes to the biting surfaces of your teeth and how they meet can also ease symptoms, especially in combination with a custom mouthguard. If symptoms or dysfunction persist despite support from your dentist, your dentist will refer you to other medical professionals to ensure that you receive TMJ treatment in Brandon. Getting TMJ treatment near you may involve a medical team including physicians, physiotherapists, chiropractors or even behavioural therapists.

Don’t settle for a life affected by jaw pain. Next time you see your dentist, tell them about any TMJ symptoms you’re experiencing to see if your dentist can help or help you to get the help you need.