TMJ can be identified by its various symptoms. Read this article to find out what to look out for and how to go about curing this condition.
The factors that lead to problems a person might face while opening and/or shutting his/her jaw are known as the causes of temporomandibular (TMJ) joint disorder. Jaw pains also often result from these disorders. The joining spot of the skull with the lower portion of the jaw is where the TMJ resides. Hence, the distance between this joint, and the ears, teeth, ligaments, muscle areas and bone structures is not at all very much. Hence, all these body parts require a careful study, so that one could get a proper insight into the basic characteristics of this problem.
Know More About The Reasons For TMJ Disorder
There exists a large area of confusion as to whether tinnitus is the root cause for TMJ disorders, or if the direction of causality is just the reverse. However, one thing is for certain – viz, a common set of nerves actually are present in the middle ear bones as well as the temporomandibular joint. This, of course, makes the study of the relationship between the two areas of immediate essence. Dr. Harold Arlan, MD, has been studying the phenomenon called Otomandibular syndrome (the name given to the process by which the Pinto’s Ligament connects the less big bones of the mid ear with the TMJ regions). It can be mentioned in this context that, Dr Arlan is associated with New Jersey’s Medicine College and Dentistry (in Otolaryngology Surgery section) in the capacity of Assistant Clinical Professor, as well as with the Rudkers Medical School.
Bruxism, the term for the habit of people who tend to clench and/or grind their teeth when under the effect of strong mental emotions, can bring about disorders in the temporomandibular joint. Problems in the TMJ can also occur if acute inflammations occur on this joint area. In both the above cases, TMJ complicacies arise, since the canines as well as the incisors, present on opposite arches, come in crossways, while the pterygoid medial muscles allow these teeth to have a lateral movement process. Incidentally, the middle areas of the temporomandibular joints house the pterygoid muscles.
Psychological factors, neurological issues, severe trauma, dental defects, issues with the neuromuscular system as well as gene related factors need all be studied in detail, since all of them may have a role to play in TMJ disorder problems. These causal factors also often determine the line of treatment that needs to be undertaken. When the proximal tissue of the temporomandibular joint develops a swelling, this can be taken as a clear symptom of TMJ disorders. However, it needs to be kept in mind that, pain in the 3rd set of molar teeth should not be considered as an indicator of TMJ problems.
An Insight Into The Symptoms Of TMJ
Comprehensive information regarding the TMJ symptoms is always useful. Such symptoms can range from clicks or pop sounds, as well as grating noises when patients open or close their mouths, not being able to bite or chew in the proper manner, to, persistent ear aches, head pains, trismus factors, as well as jaw related problems, like lock jaw, excessive tenderness in the area, and other issues with jaw mobility. Among these, the clicking or popping noises indicate milder forms of TMJ disorders. Too much teeth clenching habits, chewing on gums for extended periods, as well as the tendency to bite fingernails – all these form causes for the TMJ problems. Surgical procedures can even become necessary, in case the TMJ complicacies have been triggered off by any type of trauma filled episode in life. However, the manifestation of all the TMJ symptoms in a patient is not certain, and neither do these indicating factors last for a long time.
It has been proved that, if the alignment of the jaw gets disturbed, people need to exert more than the necessary amount of pressure to open their jaws, as well as to slide the jaw forward, in a protrusive form of movement. The probable scenarios surrounding TMJ disorders can be any (or all) of the following:
• Problems in the dental setup (running down in genes), and a gradual destruction of the teeth’s occlusal surface.
• Traumatic experiences, both past ones as well as recently felt ones,
• Moving the jaw in cataleptic motion (also known as bruxism),
• A wish to tear off bones from food items,
• The joint area of the jaw getting disintegrated by diseases,
• The articular surface experiencing a depletion in organic matter,
• Fibrous ailments, and ankylosis problems in the bone, and
• Problems related to myofacial pain syndrome.
TMJ Treatment
While treating TMJ disorder problems, both the short term as well as the lasting factors are of essence. The TMJ pains can be significantly lessened by the application of NSAIDs, at least over a short period of time. However, these medications fail to counter the basic neuralgic nature of the problem of these pains. Indeed, no type of paracetamol medicine can be expected to deliver good results against these pains.
Over the long run, the TMJ disorders may be effectively treated by therapeutic methods. In particular, the harmful postures of the head and the shoulders need to be identified and consciously avoided, so that the temporomandibular joint is not unduly pressurized. The masticating muscles need also be relaxed. Stabilising splints (devices that cover the area fully, and are flat planed) can be used to ensure that too much strain does not fall on the TMJ area. Considering their incompatibility with all cases of TMJ disorders, later on, only the frontal teeth were covered by a device called Anterior (Frontal) Splint. The latter device can be used by any TMJ patient. Provided that the reversibility of these splints is guaranteed, these devices can easily be used.
Treating Causes And TMJ Symptoms
If medications aim to remove only the TMJ symptoms, and tend to ignore the presence of the main factors behind the disease, the latter has a high chance of relapsing, after such medicine courses are finished. Unfortunately, this is precisely what the conventional treatment modes (operations and medicines), as well as the drugs available without prescription actually do. Nor are the underlying causes of TMJ disorders detected, neither are they removed from the system. Permanent cure cannot be obtained from homemade medications that have herbal ingredients, although they do offer some beneficial features.
What patients need to do is to adopt holistic treatment modes, which view the human body as a whole, searches out the disturbing factors, and remove them from the bodily system permanently. The TMJ symptoms are removed as well. Hence, there remains no cause for worrying about future attacks by TMJ disorders.
Author Resource:
Sandra Carter is a medical researcher, certified nutritionist, health consultant and author of the best-selling e-book, "TMJ No More- Proven Holistic System of Curing TMJ, Bruxism and Whiplash". For further information visit: http://www.tmjatoz.com
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