For many individuals with various forms of pain in their jaw, face or ear, or even those who suffer from common headaches, finding the source of the discomfort may be as frustrating as coping with it. Yet if any of these are caused by a condition known as TMJ then treatment could be easier than imagined.
Millions of people suffer from various forms of pain in their head and upper body. Headaches,
earaches, throbbing jaws and even neck and shoulder pain have inflicted the vast majority of people at one point in their lives. However many of these same people may not know that TMJ treatment is the cure for what ails them.
You may have had these types of discomforts at one point in your life - more than likely many times. What if these pains are persistent, though? And what if they get worse over time, or rarely go away? What you may think is just another headache or toothache or a sore neck you may have slept on wrong may, in fact, be something more, and TMJ treatment may be the cure to what ails you.
Temporomandibular joint disorder involves the inflammation of the temporomandibular joint, which connects the lower jaw to the skull. Because of its location in the human head, this condition can lead to discomfort in a number of interconnected areas, including around the jaw, head, face, neck and shoulders.
Also, because it sits at what is essentially and literally the crossroads of two branches of medicine, dentistry and neurology, there are numerous factors at play in both diagnosing and treating it.
The temporomandibular joint, like other joints in the body, is at risk for a number of conditions, including arthritis, but the symptoms of this inflammatory disorder are often quite simple to identify. They often involve numerous parts of the body, including bone, muscles, tissue and teeth, and are typically able to be alleviated through TMJ treatment.
Symptoms relating directly to the jaw itself include overall throbbing or aching, pain when chewing or biting or a clicking sound when opening and closing the mouth.
Ailments related to the ear include earaches, hearing loss or a ringing sound in the ear, which in itself is a specific condition known as tinnitus.
Other, more general symptoms include headaches, which may include more severe migraines, pain in the facial area or discomfort in the neck and shoulder areas.
One typical way to decide if the discomfort you are experiencing is cause for TMJ treatment or is instead simply just a headache or other common condition is identifying whether or not you are experiencing or have experienced more than one of these symptoms. Many individuals suffer from earaches, but this in conjunction with painful chewing and a headache could very possibly be Temporomandibular joint disorder.
TMJ treatment is available through dentists and neurologists around the world, and even if your dentist does not offer it through his or her own practice, he or she will be able to refer you to a qualified specialist. From there, you’ll be on your way to a more comfortable life in no time.
