Do you hear a weird clicking or grating sound while you bite or chew your food? Perhaps you have also been feeling jaw pain which has radiated to the areas surrounding it? If you are positive to these statements, you may be experiencing TMJ symptoms.
TMJ or temporomandibular disorder is a medical condition in which the jaw muscles or the muscles used in chewing are affected. Because of this, any movement of the mouth may cause pain to the person affected. Imagine yourself having to limit your chewing, talking, or even laughing! Wouldn't that be really annoying? Aside from pain, other symptoms of TMJ include a hissing and buzzing sound in the ears, swallowing difficulties, limited opening of the mouth, tooth pain and many more.
If you don't want to have these kinds of symptoms, it is best that you prevent yourself from acquiring this condition. One way of avoiding TMJ disorder is to stop habits which abuse your jaw muscles. Such habits could be grinding your teeth often and clenching your jaws. Doing this puts a lot of pressure to the jaw muscles and might lead to rapid wear and tear. Another usual cause of TMJ would be misaligned teeth. If teeth are not aligned, there will be a strain on the jaws because the teeth will have to adjust to the correct biting position while eating.
If you are already experiencing TMJ symptoms, don't fret because there are a lot of ways to relieve them. If your chewing or eating becomes painful, I would suggest that you avoid eating hard food and stick to a soft diet. Also reduce the size of the food you put in your mouth by slicing them up into smaller pieces. Another way of relieving jaw pain is to apply a warm compress to the affected area. While you are doing this, try to gently open your mouth and then slowly close it. Do this for around 30 minutes. Sometimes, stress is believed to cause strain on the muscles, including the jaw. Try to avoid feeling stressed by diverting your attention to relaxing activities and avoid feeling tensed. If the problem is with the alignment of your teeth, visit your dentist. He will probably prescribe a dental apparatus which will help your bite be aligned again.
The signs and symptoms of TMJ could be prevented or relieved. There are a lot more symptoms which we haven't mentioned in this article but there are also a lot more treatments which we could combat these symptoms with. Not everyone experiences the same symptoms and people may also have different reactions to the treatments. Try to consult a physician if you are not sure if what you are experiencing are TMJ symptoms. On the other hand, if you are certain that you have a TMJ disorder, consult a physician as well to know which treatment would be best for you to follow.
Author Resource:
tmj treatment starts with knowledge. Research as much as you can on what is tmj and stop living in pain from day to day. Too many people just accept TMJ as part of life, you don't have to settle for that pain. Look into a cure today.
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