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Jaw Pain from TMJ

TMJ jaw pain can be located in the jaw muscles, jaw joints, on in some cases, both. However, most of the pain stems from the muscle that moves the lower jaw. The temporalis—one of the muscles—stretches like a fan on the side of the head to the lower jaw. Where the pain originates in the jaw joint itself, the patient will experience discomfort when he/she presses on that joint.

Jaw pain inhibits smiling, eating and speaking, as the jaw muscles tighten and grip the jaw in place for protection. Eventually, the jaw muscles spasm and inflame, resulting in even more jaw pain. Since patients experience difficulty eating, they eat little and lose strength, causing more pain to develop.

Acute TMJ—sudden pain—can be first treated with cold packs. When pain symptoms alleviate, hot packs or other analgesics can be used. Heat enables the jaw muscles to loosen, encouraging blood flow to those muscles. Patients should rest their joints by avoiding hard, chewy foods.

Chronic TMJ pain persists and requires more attention. Practice jaw exercises, learn muscle relaxation techniques such as Yoga and if the problems persist even more, seek medical attention for possible splint use.

Friday, May 17, 2013