TMJ Syndrome

What is TMJ Syndrome? 

Temporomandibular disorder or TMD causes pain, clicking and sometimes locking up of the jaw joints and their muscles that enable and control jaw movement. 

TMJ dysfunction occurs when the muscles and ligaments around your jaw joints become inflamed or irritated or when there is damage to the disc in those joints 

More about TMJ 

TMJ is an acronym that stands for temporomandibular joint. 

It is pronounced (tem-puh-roe-man-DIB-u-lur) joint and they connect your jawbone to your skull. You have one joint on each side of your jaw. It acts like a sliding hinge and helps with movements like chewing and speaking. 

Symptoms of TMJ Syndrome / TMD 

TMD is a condition that may be acute or chronic, and the resulting pain may be mild, moderate or severe. 

You may experience TMJ pain due to: 

  • Improper bite putting stress on the TMJs 
  • Genetics 
  • They are joints, so arthritis can set in 
  • Jaw injury 
  • Clenching teeth 
  • Grinding teeth 

You may also experience: 

  • Jaw tenderness to touch 
  • Headaches 
  • Earaches 
  • Facial pain 
  • A locking sensation 
  • Difficulty chewing 
  • Swelling on the side of your face 
  • Tooth pain 

Treatment Options for TMJ Syndrome 

If you suffer from TMJ syndrome, it may be temporary. There is a chance it can be relieved with self-managed care or nonsurgical treatments. Some non-invasive treatment options include: 

  • Apply moist heat (to relax tense muscles) or cold packs (to bring down inflammation) to the painful TMJ to reduce pain 
  • Eat soft foods to give your jaw a rest from muscle tiring chewing 
  • Take aspirin, naproxen or ibuprofen with or without acetaminophen to help relieve pain or swelling 
  • Acupuncture to help stimulate natural healing and address pain

If you are still experiencing TMJ pain you might consider:

  • Corrective dental treatments to bring your bite to proper balance and alignment 
  • Physical therapy to help reduce pain and relax your jaw and facial muscles.   
  • Ultrasound is a deep heat treatment to relieve muscle soreness and improve joint movement 
  • Trigger-point injections with lidocaine-like pain medication to provide relief 
  • Radio wave therapy to increase blood flow 
  • Botulinum Toxin (Botox®) injections to reduce muscle tension and inflammation 
  • Steroid injections to reduce pain and inflammation

However, in some situations, TMJ pain is due to structural issues with the disc in the TMJ requiring a MRI and referral to an oral surgeon or head and neck surgeon.  We can help define the extent of your TMD and arrange for the right specialist to consult and make further recommendations.  

If you’re struggling with TMJ symptoms in the North Bay, give Sonoma Neurology, Pain & Headache a call today so you can get the relief you need.