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TMJ Disorder Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment

What Is TMJ Disorder?

Temporomandibular joint and muscle disorders, commonly called “TMJ,” are a group of conditions that cause pain and dysfunction in the jaw joint and the muscles that control jaw movement.

Causes Of TMJ Disorder:

Some common causes of TMJ disorder are as follows:

  • The disk erodes or moves out of its proper alignment
  • The joint’s cartilage is damaged by arthritis
  • The joint is damaged by a blow or other impact

Symptoms Of TMJ Disorder:

Some common symptoms of TMJ disorder include the following:

  • Pain and tenderness on palpation in the muscles of mastication, or of the joint itself.
  • Limited range of mandibular movement, which may cause difficulty eating or even talking.
  • There may be locking of the jaw, or stiffness in the jaw muscles and the joints, especially present upon waking.
  • There may also be in coordination, asymmetry or deviation of mandibular movement.
  • Noises from the joint during mandibular movement, which may be intermittent. Joint noises may be described as clicking, popping, or grating.

Some less common symptoms include:

  • Headache
  • Pain elsewhere, such as the teeth, neck, or shoulder
  • Hearing loss
  • Tinnitus
  • Sensation of malocclusion (feeling that the teeth do not meet together properly).]
  • Pain or feeling of pressure behind the eyes

Diagnosis On TMJ Disorder:

To this date, there is no standardized test available which can diagnose TMJ disorder.

In order to diagnose it, the doctor is likely to do a physical exam where he would look for occurrence of any symptoms linked to TMJ disorder.

Treatment Of TMJ Disorder:

If the symptoms don’t fade on their own, the following courses of treatment are available:

  • Medications
  • Pain relievers
  • Tricyclic antidepressants
  • Muscle relaxants
  • Sedatives
  • Therapies
  • Bite guards (oral splints)
  • Physical therapy
  • Counseling
  • Surgical and other procedures
  • Arthrocentesis
  • Injections
  • Surgery

By : Natural Health News

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