Coping With Temporomandibular Joint Disorder

When you open your mouth to yawn, do you ever feel or hear a click in your jaw? If you have, chances are your clicking jaw is simply an annoyance — something that only happens once in a while. However, if the problem occurs frequently, you may have what is called “temporomandibular joint disorder,” or “TMJD.” TMJD can cause a lot of pain and discomfort in your jaw area, as well as radiating out to other parts of your body.
You might not know this, but your jaw is one of the most complicated joints in your body. This is because of the range of movement that it is capable of. It can move up-and-down, side-to-side and it can slide forward.
Muscles that run down either side of your jaw help attach the joint to your skull. These muscles help you when you need to chew or talk or even yawn. Along with these two groups of muscles, there is a small disc that cushions the bones of your jaw called the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). The TMJ acts as a kind of shock absorber or damper. When something goes wrong with this complex joint, it could be that you have TMJD.
Of course, just because your jaw clicks or pops doesn’t necessarily mean that you have TMJD. Likewise, not everyone with TMJD experiences clicking or popping in his or her jaw. TMJD is often misdiagnosed or totally undiagnosed.
Part of the problem is that symptoms of TMJD can change from day to day. One day you might experience headaches, while the next you might suffer from an earache or a toothache. Many who suffer from TMJD also complain of trouble chewing, tightness in their jaws, tenderness around the TM joints and a general feeling of fatigue. It is possible to experience all of these symptoms at once.
Many people with TMJD are misdiagnosed. If you arrive at a doctor’s appointment and say that you are suffering from an earache, your doctor is likely to look in your ears. Likewise, if you suffer from headaches, you might try chiropractic treatments to release tension in your back and neck. However, if you are suffering from TMJD, your jaw is the root of your problems, of course. The only way for you determine if you might have TMJD is to track your symptoms and see if you notice a pattern.
Check Your Posture
There are some steps that you can take to ease the symptoms of TMJD if you think that you might be suffering from the condition. The first thing to try is quite simple: check your posture.
When you slouch or hunch over, you can create imbalances that put extra stress on the muscles of your back, shoulders, neck, face and jaw. Try to sit up straight. Imagine a thread lifting the back of your head up.
Make sure that you allow your chin to lower slightly, however. Many people push their chins out when they are concentrating or under stress. Driving and working on the computer are two common activities that can make you unconsciously adopt this posture. Unfortunately, when you jut your chin out, you cause stress to your neck and can aggravate jaw pain.
Other Potential Solutions
Another way that you can reduce the symptoms of TMJD is to remember to unclench your jaw. You will probably need to check throughout the day to see if you’re actually doing this. Many people will clench their jaw muscles and press their teeth together without realizing that they are doing it.
When you go about your day with your jaw clenched, the muscles in your whole face are held in a tense, tight position. Try to relax your jaw if you catch yourself doing this. Take a deep breath. Stretch the muscles in your face and let you jaw go slack. Remember to relax enough so that your teeth are not touching together.
Another strategy that you can try yourself is to soothe the muscles in your jaw with touch. Use your fingertips to slowly but firmly massage the area that’s giving you the most pain. You can also try applying heat or ice. If you feel that part of the problem is that your jaw is simply overtired, give it some rest by eating softer foods for a while.
In some cases, TMJD may be triggered by muscle weakness. It is not uncommon for certain muscle groups to be under-developed. While it may seem strange to build muscle strength around the jaw and face, this may be helpful in relieving some of the symptoms of TMJD. In general, regular physical activity can also make it easier to relax and to handle stress better, including that caused by TMJD.
Finally, you may need to get some help. If you’ve tried all of the above techniques and still aren’t getting any relief from your symptoms, visit a doctor or a dentist.

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