What are the Symptoms of TMD?

Important- Chronic pain affects sleep.

Poor sleep leads to further pain, sleepy adults and hyperactive children.

We have already covered TMJ Dentist and Treatment. On this page we will focus on some of the main TMJ Symptoms to look for when self-diagnosing. Check out the “Do I have TMJ Quiz” below….

If you or your child have woken up with a sore jaw or unexplained head pain these are some of the symptoms of TMJ Dysfunction… Other symptoms include: Individuals who grind their teeth.People who snore or wake up suddenly at night. Are headaches or ear pain a routine part of your day? Does your child wet their bed or been diagnosed with attention deficient disorder (ADD)? These can all be signs or symtoms and of TMD.

These are some of the symptoms commonly associated with Temporomandibular Dysfunction (TMD) as well as the sleep disordered breathing condition of obstructive sleep apnea.

The “Temporomandibular Joint,” more commonly known as the “jaw joint,” assists in the opening and closing movements of the jaw. Unfortunately, this joint is a common area for recurring pain and can also be the cause of many forms of head and neck pain. The nervous system linked with the TMJ is extremely complex and so problems within the TMJ can affect many parts of the body.

Some dentists will simply treat TMJ related symptoms with a basic splint covering the teeth.  Although this can help with symptoms in the short-term it can often exacerbate the problem over the long-term and actually encourage further clenching or grinding…  Because it can hold the jaw in an arbitrary position that is not determined by any proper physiological position.

NOTE: This video briefly explains why tightness in jaw muscles can lead to pain. Remember: The muscles, blood supply, nerves, ligaments and tendons in this region are intricately connected to the ear, head, face, neck and back. There is even a connection to the arms and hands via the brachial plexus. Symptoms can occur in all of these places.

TAKE THE TMJ QUIZ:

Do you answer YES to many of the following questions?

Do you wake up in the morning feeling tired and not refreshed?

Does your jaw click?

Do you ever experience jaw pain?

Is it ever difficult to open or close your jaw?

Do you suffer from frequent headaches or migraines?

Do you have chronic head and or neck pain?

Do you have chronic shoulder or lower back pain?

Do you experience ear fullness, ringing or pulsing inside your ears?

Do you clench or grind your teeth?

Is it hard to find where to bite your teeth together?

Do you have pain in your teeth that your usual dentist could not diagnose?

Do you suffer from allergies or chronic nasal inflammation?

Have you lost your sense of smell?

Do you snore?

Do you suffer depression or anxiety attacks?

Do you have a lack concentration?

Do you have chronic fatigue?

Do you lack coordination?

Do you wake up several times during the night to go to the toilet?

Can you breath properly through you nose?

Do you have pain behind your eyes?

Do you have night blindness or are you sensitive to light?

Do you suffer from visual disturbances?

If you answered yes to some of these questions you may be suffering from a TMJ (jaw joint) imbalance which could be the origin of your pain…

TMJ Treatment can fix these problems

……these are just some of the questions and FJO practitioner with a knowledge of the connection between sleep, pain and jaw joint relationships may ask you. Note: Some call it TMD (temporomandibular dysfunction), other call it TMJPDS (temporomandibular pain dysfunction syndrome).

The good news is that whatever you call it, TMJ can be fixed and you could be living a pain free life within only a few months…

Many people go through their lives either just living with craniofacial (head and neck) pain, or having frequent visits to chiropractors or osteopaths. Some take medication daily to relieve their problems. All of these things just reduce symptoms, they usually cannot fully remove the actual cause / origin of the problem if the problem is a jaw imbalance. Find out what an TMJ Check can offer you by visiting our “contact us” page or simply email us here

• A thorough TMJ assessment by a dentist with expertise in this area is essential if it is to be treated correctly.

More popular topics

• Click here for more about TMJ Jaw Pain and Treatment

Questions?

• Get in touch? Contact an FJO Dentist or Email Us Here