subject: Finding Relief For Tmj Problems And Headaches In Charlotte, Nc [print this page] TMJ stands for temporomandibular joint disorder. TMJ is the term that describes a number of symptoms that include jaw pain, facial pain, ear aches, limited jaw movement, and headaches. The temporomandibular joints are the small joints in front of your ears that attach your lower jaw to your skull. It is hard to believe, but this small area in front of the ears is one of the most complex joints in your entire body. It is an elaborate network of bones, tendons, nerves, and muscles.
If the jaw and this joint is misaligned , it can affect the entire upper region of the body including numbness and tingling in the arm and hands, stiff neck and shoulders, ear aches and ringing in the ears, and of course severe headaches.
Many patients who have TMJ also report a number of side effects from the condition such as tooth ache, frequent ear infections, facial tightness or pain. It is no coincidence that many TMJ sufferers report anomalies such as snoring and restricted airway, grinding of teeth, are other problems associated with TMJ.
What causes TMJ?
Most often, TMJ disorders are the result of a condition called malocclusion, or in the plainest terms a bad bite or an improper bite; which can be a result of teeth grinding, accidents and trauma, even loss of teeth. Malocclusion is when your upper and lower teeth do not close together the way they are supposed to, this is what is meant when it is said that the jaw is misaligned.
If your teeth are misaligned, they cannot support the muscles in your face so that you will chew and swallow properly. This causes a continual strain on these muscles and the result can be pain throughout the face that can radiate to the arms and shoulder and certainly to the ears and the top of the head.
It is important to find out the exact reason for your malocclusion, to find the proper treatment. Believe it or not, your migraine dentist has the technology to determine where improper force and stress is exerted on the joint.
Who suffers from TMJ?
Anyone can suffer from TMJ as a result of all the conditions that can affect alignment of the jaw joint, although women appear to report more pain from TMJ than men. Children are especially sensitive to TMJ because of the growth related to teething and the jaw alignment. This is a natural part of growing however, there are some habits that children can develop that can cause problems later in life such as poor posture, leaning their head on an arm, biting finger nails, sucking their thumb, and especially gum chewing.
See your migraine dentist for treatment
If you live in Charlotte, NC, you are fortunate to have dentists available to provide relief and drug free treatment for headache.
