Monday 4 January 2010

TMJ Treatment 101: What is TMJ?

By Bart Icles

Each year, millions of Americans suffer from disorders of the temporomandibular joint or TMJ. While millions are suffering from jaw joint disorders each year, not many of them are able to find effective methods of treatment. One main reason for this is the challenge behind properly diagnosing TMJ disorders. TMJ pain can easily be mistaken for some other symptom of some other disease. This is why it is important that you seek medical attention from a TMJ specialist or an ENT if you suspect you are suffering from TMJ. But before you can even tell that you are suffering from a certain form of TMJ disorder, you must first be able to find answers to the question, "What is TMJ?"

So what is TMJ? TMJ is a term generally used to refer to disorders in the temporomandibular joints or jaw joints. You will be able to tell if you are suffering from jaw joint disorder if you feel pain in the area surrounding your TMJ. In some cases, the pain can radiate to other parts of the body, specifically in the face, head, neck, and shoulders.

This medical condition is often caused by the internal derangement of the jaw joints and can also be caused by inflammatory joint diseases like arthritis. In any case, it is quite common for sufferers to feel myofacial pain. Other signs that are characteristic of TMJ disorders include chronic ear pain without infection, difficulty in opening the mouth, popping or clicking sounds each time you move your mouth, stiffness and soreness of the jaw, and aches pains felt in the face, head, neck, and shoulders.

In order to effectively treat this kind of medical condition, you will need to seek help from an ENT or a TMJ specialist. Only through having yourself checked by a trained doctor will you be able to have yourself properly diagnosed with TMJ. Depending on the cause of your condition, you will be given certain sets of treatment options. These can include the use of mouth guards, bite therapy, jaw exercises, and intake of pain relievers.

The next time someone asks you "What is TMJ?" you no longer have to find it difficult to answer the question. You know that it is a disorder that affects your jaw joints and it is something that you should not take lightly. This medical condition is potentially debilitating and it is best that you seek medical attention if you think you might be suffering from it.

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