TMJ Disorder Diagnosis

TMJ disorders occur when something goes wrong with your jaw joints and jaw muscles. Oftentimes, this happens because of a jaw injury, inflammation such as with arthritis, or overuse. You may not think about your temporomandibular joints (TMJ) much, but you use them a lot. The joints connect your jawbone to your skull. Your TMJ springs into action each time you talk, chew, and swallow. 



Your doctor or dentist will discuss your symptoms and examine your jaw. He or she will probably:

Listen to and feel your jaw when you open and close your mouth

Observe the range of motion in your jaw

Press on areas around your jaw to identify sites of pain or discomfort

If your doctor or dentist suspects a problem, you may need:

Dental X-rays to examine your teeth and jaw

CT scan to provide detailed images of the bones involved in the joint

MRI to reveal problems with the joint's disk or surrounding soft tissue


TMJ arthroscopy is sometimes used in the diagnosis of a TMJ disorder. During TMJ arthroscopy, your doctor inserts a small thin tube (cannula) into the joint space, and a small camera (arthroscope) is then inserted to view the area and to help determine a diagnosis.

It’s unclear exactly how TMJ exercises may relieve chronic TMJ pain. They’re thought to help:

strengthen jaw muscles

stretch the jaw

relax the jaw

increase jaw mobility

reduce jaw clicking

promote jaw healing

According to one 2010 study published in the Journal of Dental Research, performing TMJ exercises increases mouth opening range more than using a mouth guard in people with TMJ disc displacement.

These nine exercises from the American Academy of Family Physicians and the Royal Surrey County Hospital may help relieve TMJ pain and improve the movement of your jaw joints. For some exercises, there are frequency recommendations. For exercises where frequency recommendations aren’t available, ask your doctor or dentist for guidance.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dealing with Arthritis in the Jaw

 Pain in the jaw joint could be the result of TMJ, or temporomandibular joint syndrome. Here's everything you need to know about this confusing condition, including home treatment options that can help ease symptoms.  It’s common for kids with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) to have arthritis in their temporomandibular joint (TMJ), or jaw. Pediatric rheumatologists often check their patients’ jaws because symptoms can be silent or mild at first TMJ flare up  don’t just affect mouth, they also make entire upper body ache. Face will feel incredibly sore, as if  been grinning all day, Eyes will feel so tired that it’s hard to keep them open. It's challenging to use the computer or read books because the postures aggravate the neck  which is also affected by JA  and shoulders. Muscles are knotted and irritated. Teeth often ache as if I have an infection, and this usually happens in the middle of the night. Not to mention the typical fatigue and soreness tha...
Read more

Vertigo: Causes and Treatment

Image
 Vertigo is a sensation of feeling off balance. If you have these dizzy spells, you might feel like you are spinning or that the world around you is spinning. Vertigo is often caused by an inner ear problem. Some of the most common causes include: BPPV: occurs when tiny calcium particles (canaliths) clump up in canals of the inner ear. The inner ear sends signals to the brain about head and body movements relative to gravity. Meniere's disease: This is an inner ear disorder thought to be caused by a buildup of fluid and changing pressure in the ear. Treating vertigo is depends on what's causing it. In many cases, vertigo goes away without any treatment. This is because your brain is able to adapt, at least in part, to the inner ear changes, relying on other mechanisms to maintain balance. If you seek treatment, your doctor will base it on the cause of your condition and your symptoms. It may include medications and balance exercises. Even if no cause is found or if your dizzin...
Read more

Cluster Headaches Treatments And Symptoms

Men are affected by cluster headaches more than women. They typically start around age 30. Cluster headaches are rare when compared with other types of headaches. The pain they produce is severe and tends to recur in the same way each time. They occur in groups, or clusters. Each attack lasts about 1 to 3 hours on average. They may occur every other day, up to multiple times a day. Cluster periods are followed by remissions where there are no headaches. These may last months or years.   Cluster Headaches Symptoms Cluster headaches begin quickly and without warning. The pain is very severe and is often described as a sharp, burning or piercing sensation on one side of the head. It's often felt around the eye, temple and sometimes face. It tends to affect the same side for each attack. People often feel restless and agitated during an attack because the pain is so intense, and they may react by rocking, pacing or banging their head against the wall. You may also get 1 or more of...
Read more