TMJ
disorder, which is also known as Myofacial Pain
Dysfunction and Costen’s Syndrome comprises of a series
of multifaceted problems that affects the
Temporomandibular Jaw joint in humans. And since so many
of us are suffering from the TMJ disorder these days, it
has now become a matter of grave concern. Making matters
worse is the fact that, the signs of TMJ never seems to
go away. With some medication or treatment, it may seem
like they are gone… but give it some time, and they are
back with a bang.
But what
is it in the TMJ disorder that causes so much of a
problem and the associated pain as well? And why is it
so difficult to offer a permanent cure? Let us take a
look. Since a number of facial tissues, bones, ligaments
and nerves located in or around the joint are involved
in creating most of the problems, it often becomes
difficult to fix it unless diagnosed at an early stage.
Here we will cover all the aspects of this disorder
including its causes, symptoms and
cure.
What
causes the TMJ disorder?
One reason
that causes the problem is the constant grinding or
clenching of teeth due to excessive stress or mental
agony. In most cases people are completely unaware of
this dodgy habit and therefore it becomes a second
nature with them, and of course this does not help the
matter as well. And there are those who even do it in
sleep. Nevertheless, it creates unusual pressure on the
Temporomandibular Jaw joint, thus creating problems like
headache, stiffness in the upper torso, pain in the ear,
locked jaws, clicking sound from the jaw, numbness in
the fingers, etc. This is often referred to as TMJ pain
or pain associated with the TMJ
syndrome.
Habitual
gum chewing for hours on end also puts undue pressure on
the TM jaw joint, causing it to malfunction. Then again,
there are those who are in the habit of biting their
fingernails, thus giving rise to TMJ
disorder.
Trauma to
the jaw joint that may be caused by non-fatal car crash
or injury sustained in the jaw bone due to other reasons
can give rise to TMJ disorder too.
Occupational
habit that entails holding the telephone receiver
between the head and shoulder for long hours has been
found to cause TMJ disorder.
Congenital
malformation of Temporomandibular jaw joint can also
lead to the TMJ disorder at a later
stage.
Badly
formed wisdom teeth grown on maturity leads to uneven
bite and consequential mis-alignment of the jaw joint
which in turn gives rise to TMJ
disorder.
Symptoms
of TMJ disorders
- Headache
and facial pain are common symptoms of TMJ disorder
with around 85% patients complaining of headache. And
the others report acute facial pain which is worse
during the evening hours. This sense of uneasiness
increases with exposure to cold weather and longish
stay in air conditioned rooms.
- Painful
ear is a frequent symptom of the TMJ disorder. More
than 50% of people who are suffering from the TMJ
disorder have reported pain in the ears though no
contagion has been found during routine examination by
ENT surgeons. The pain is localized below the ear and
above the jaw joint.
- Crunching,
grating or popping sounds that are clinically termed
as Crepitus and heard by TMJ patients is considered to
be symptoms of TMJ disorder as
well.
- Apart
from these, patients who are suffering from the TMJ
disorder also complain of ringing in the ears
(Tinnitus).
- Dizziness
(not vertigo) affects around 40% TMJ disorder
patients.
- Around
33% of patients with TMJ disorder complain of fullness
in both the ears.
TMJ Cure –
Is It Possible To Get A Permanent
Remedy?
Quite
honestly, there is no specific treatment of the TMJ
disorder that is if you are opting for conventional
medications (drugs and surgery), over the counter
treatments (mouthguards and splints) and also with the
natural approach that includes the use of herbal
supplements. There are some sufferers, who have tried
TMJ jaw exercises to solve the problem, and though there
might be some relief here, but the relief is never
permanent.
But that
does not mean that the person who is suffering from TMJ
pain has to go on suffering from it. There indeed is a
solution that can provide everlasting cure. If you are
suffering from TMJ, you should try holistic remedies. As
opposed to the conventional approach that just treats
the symptoms, the holistic approach treats the body as a
whole and identifies the root causes of the problem and
eradicates them. And once these root causes are gone,
the symptoms go away too. But if you are treating the
symptoms, the causes remain and so the symptoms appear
again.
Because of
this unique approach, holistic remedies have been so
successful in the treatment of TMJ.
