Temporomandibular Joint Disorder - TMJD
May people suffer from Temporomandibular Joint Disorder. TMJD often causes severe pain and discomfort. It can be temporary or last many years. It might affect one or both sides of your face.
Common symptoms may include:
- Pain or tenderness in your face, jaw joint area, neck and shoulders, and in or around the ear when you chew, speak, or open your mouth
wide.
- Jaws that get "stuck" or "lock" in the open or closed mouth position.
- Clicking, popping, or grating sounds in the jaw joint when you open or close your mouth or chew. This may or may not be painful.
- Trouble chewing or a sudden uncomfortable bite as if the upper and lower teeth are not fitting together properly.
- A tired feeling in the face and /or swelling on the side of your face.
TMJD and Trigger Points
Treatment may often begin with the dentist or orthodontist where examination of joint structure will take precedence over examination of the involved muscles. The masseter, lateral and medial pterygoid, temporalis and sternocleidomastoid muscles are notorious for harbouring trigger points which refer pain in all the ways described by those diagnosed with TMJD. Simple removal of these TrPs often sees cessation of symptoms and further more eliminates talk of unnecessary and often expensive orthodontic work, or worse still, surgery.
Bruxism, (teeth grinding), continual chewing of gum or the wearing of mouth guards and splints can all exacerbate trigger points in the aforementioned muscles. Your therapist should talk through all these perpetuating factors prior to treatment and will offer advice on how to maintain a trigger point free jaw.
Common symptoms may include:
- Pain or tenderness in your face, jaw joint area, neck and shoulders, and in or around the ear when you chew, speak, or open your mouth
wide.
- Jaws that get "stuck" or "lock" in the open or closed mouth position.
- Clicking, popping, or grating sounds in the jaw joint when you open or close your mouth or chew. This may or may not be painful.
- Trouble chewing or a sudden uncomfortable bite as if the upper and lower teeth are not fitting together properly.
- A tired feeling in the face and /or swelling on the side of your face.
TMJD and Trigger Points
Treatment may often begin with the dentist or orthodontist where examination of joint structure will take precedence over examination of the involved muscles. The masseter, lateral and medial pterygoid, temporalis and sternocleidomastoid muscles are notorious for harbouring trigger points which refer pain in all the ways described by those diagnosed with TMJD. Simple removal of these TrPs often sees cessation of symptoms and further more eliminates talk of unnecessary and often expensive orthodontic work, or worse still, surgery.
Bruxism, (teeth grinding), continual chewing of gum or the wearing of mouth guards and splints can all exacerbate trigger points in the aforementioned muscles. Your therapist should talk through all these perpetuating factors prior to treatment and will offer advice on how to maintain a trigger point free jaw.
