What is TMJ/TMD?
What is TMJ and what is TMD?
Commonly, the acronym TMJ is misinterpreted as the problem condition when it actually just simply stands for “temporomandibular joint”- something we all have in our anatomy. “TMJD” or also know as “TMD” stands for temporomandibular joint dysfunction and is a subset of orofacial pain. About 35% of the population has symptoms related to TMD but only 5-10% of those people actually seek help. TMD shows up most often in females between 20-40 years of age, but is present in males and children as well.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms can widely vary from one person to another and are dictated by several health related and environmental factors. Most commonly, people report having pain in the facial region around the cheek bone and jaw line, ear/periauricular, temples, and the teeth. Other more common symptoms are loss of motion in opening the mouth as well as TMJ clicking and popping sounds.
Symptoms you wouldn’t expect
There are actually quite a few symptoms that people don’t often correlate to TMD but are very closely connected to the condition. These include headache/migraine, neck and shoulder pain, tinnitus, ear fullness, pain around the eyes or forehead, and tooth pain. Believe it or not, many people who experience odd symptoms like tooth pain but have no cavity or infection, end up getting their teeth removed due to the pain. This pain is often referred from a muscle and can make you feel like there is an actual problem with the tooth itself.
How does TMD occur?
TMD can occur from a macrotrauma, such as a fall or blow to the face, resulting in forceful contact to the mandible or maxilla.
It can also be a result of microtrauma, which are non-traumatic incidents, such as poor posturing or increased stress to the muscles via parafunctional activities like chewing or bruxing (grinding teeth).
Additional information is coming to light that TMD may develop as a result of orofacial myofunctional disorders. These are dysfunctional movement patterns of the mouth, tongue, and face over a period of time.
Different types of TMD
Further, TMD is identified under several different categories depending on what the patient is experiencing which include:
1) Myofascial disorders (masticatory(chewing) muscle disorder)
2) Disc disorders which includes the disc displacing with or without reducing back into its position
3) Joint dysfunctions such as osteoarthritis
The movements and functions of the jaw can be influenced by our daily activities which may or may not begin to cause us to be in pain. It is important to be examined by a physical therapist who specializes in TMJ issues so that a comprehensive plan of care can be developed and carried out specific to your impairments.
