Medication
The following tips may help you reduce symptoms of TMJ disorders:
- Avoid overuse of jaw muscles. Eat soft foods. Cut food into small pieces. ...
- Stretching and massage. Your doctor, dentist or physical therapist may show you how to do exercises that stretch and strengthen your jaw muscles and how to massage the muscles yourself.
- Heat or cold. Applying warm, moist heat or ice to the side of your face may help alleviate pain.
Procedures
- Oral Surgeon
- Ear, Nose and Throat specialist (ENT)
- Rheumatologist
- Pain specialist
- Neurologist
- Physical Therapist
- Pain Psychologist
- Massage Therapist
Therapy
What does a TMJ headache feel like? The typical headache that occurs with TMJ is a tight, dull aching headache. It is most commonly on one side, but can be on both. Normally, it is worse on the side where the TMJ is worse. The headache is aggravated by jaw movement and relieves with jaw relaxation. Does chewing make headaches worse?
Nutrition
- Consider wearing a nightguard when you sleep. ...
- Applying iced compresses to the facial area or taking a cold shower can help relieve pain and inflammation in the temporomandibular joint.
- Massage and gentle stretching can release muscle tension in the jaw that’s causing problems and headaches.
How can you cure TMJ?
What kind of doctor should you see for TMJ pain?
What does TMJ feel like?
How to relieve TMJ pain?
Should I get my TMJ treated?
In some cases, the symptoms of TMJ disorders may go away without treatment. If your symptoms persist, your doctor may recommend a variety of treatment options, often more than one to be done at the same time.
What is the most effective treatment for TMJ?
Bite guards are the most widely recommended treatment for moderate TMJ symptoms. Research has found that splints can reduce TMJ pain and the risk of long-term side effects is minimal. There are two main types of dental splint, a TMJ mouthguard, and a bruxism (tooth grinding) mouthguard.
What happens if I dont treat TMJ?
Although not life threatening, if TMJ disorder is left untreated, it can contribute to significant discomfort and tension. Chronic pain can even lead to the development of diseases like anxiety and depression.
What's the difference between TMJ and TMD?
Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are a group of more than 30 conditions that cause pain and dysfunction in the jaw joint and muscles that control jaw movement. “TMDs” refers to the disorders, and “TMJ” refers only to the temporomandibular joint itself. People have two TMJs; one on each side of the jaw.
How I cured my TMJ naturally?
Natural TMJ Pain RemediesEat Soft Foods. One of the best ways to start finding relief from TMJ pain is by simply just eating softer foods. ... Learn Stress Management. One of the top causes of TMJ is actually stress. ... Wear a Bite Guard. ... Limit Jaw Movements. ... Try Acupuncture or Massage Therapy. ... Use Heat or Cold Therapy.
How long does it take for TMJ to go away?
For most adults, the treatment averages anywhere from 18 months to three years. Therapies like massaging or stretching the jaw, stretching the neck, and stress reduction exercises can instantly provide some relief. Still, it may take anywhere from weeks to months to see the full benefits.
How do you check if you have TMJ?
The Test. While opening your jaw slightly, place a finger over the joint in front of your ear, and then open wide until you can feel the joint move. If you feel the joint click or if it's tender when you press gently, you may have temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder.
Will TMJ go away by itself?
Minor TMJ discomfort will usually go away without treatment. However, anyone with the following TMJ symptoms should consider an evaluation to prevent or avoid future issues: Constant or repeated episodes of pain or tenderness at the TMJ or in and around the ear. Discomfort or pain while chewing.
When is TMJ considered severe?
In very severe cases of TMJ disorders, where movement of the jaw is extremely restricted, and symptoms are long-lasting, the joint may need to be replaced. This treatment is rarely required, however.
What will a dentist do for TMJ?
Treatment form an orthodontist can alleviate TMJ symptoms in many cases. If your TMJ comes from teeth grinding or clenching, your dentist may recommend that you wear a custom dental appliance. Often called a bite plate or a splint, this appliance will keep your upper teeth from grinding against your lower teeth.
Is TMJ medical or dental?
TMJ Disorders Can Be Both Medical and Dental Problems For example, this condition can be caused by certain medical problems such as fibromyalgia, which causes widespread pain that can include the jaw, though patients will likely experience pain in other areas of the body as well.
How does a dentist check for TMJ?
Touch – your dentist will use their fingers to apply a bit of pressure to the jaw and TMJ to test for tenderness and pain. Sight – your dentist will look inside your mouth for signs of teeth grinding, clenching and alignment issues. They'll also use X-Rays, if they've found evidence of a TMJ disorder.
Can you get better with TMJ?
The treating community remains in chaos and controversy about TMJ treatments. The advice we must still offer patients is – you may get better on treatments; you may be unaffected by treatments; you may even get better in spite of treatment, or you may get worse.
Is TMJ surgery reversible?
Conservative treatments do not invade the tissues of the face, jaw, or joint, or involve surgery.
Can reversible treatment cause permanent changes in jaw?
Reversible treatments do not cause permanent changes in the structure or position of the jaw or teeth. If TMJ issues become persistent and severe, moving toward aggressive treatments does not necessarily ensure improvement of the symptoms.
Seeking TMJ Care
If your TMJ problem gets worse with time, you should seek professional advice. Proceed cautiously, and get several independent opinions before beginning any suggested irreversible treatment.
Be Informed
First and foremost, educate yourself. Informed patients are better able to talk with health care providers, ask informed questions, and make knowledgeable decisions. When going to the doctor, it is in the best interest of every patient to always be accompanied by a person whom you trust and who will act as your advocate.
Clinical Trials
If you are offered a clinical trial*, feel free to ask any questions or bring up any issues concerning the trial at any time. The following suggestions may give you some ideas as you think about your own questions.
Tips for Talking to Your Doctor
Your health care provider should answer these questions in words you can understand. If you don’t understand any part of the discussion with your health care professional, it is important to ask that it be explained again. If your provider will not or cannot answer these questions, find one who will. You must be your own health care advocate:
Throughout Your Treatment
Some people find it helpful to keep a diary of pain and other symptoms. A diary can help when you talk to your doctor.
Understanding Symptoms vs. Their Underlying Cause
Self-managed care is often recommended as a first line of treatment for TMJ disorder. Most of these strategies target the symptoms of TMD, not the underlying cause.
Treating TMJ Pain
Resolving TMJ pain permanently takes time, so our first priority is helping you feel better so you can be more present in your day-to-day life. We use one or more of the following therapies at the beginning of your treatment:
Phase 1: TMJ Disorder Treatment
Next, we move onto Phase 1 TMJ treatment. Oftentimes, this involves an orthotic device that allows you to retrain your jaw by eating, chewing, and functioning in its optimal position. Phase 1 TMD treatment includes any of the following:
Phase 2: A Potential TMJ Cure
Unfortunately, we can’t promise everyone who comes to our office a permanent cure for their TMJ pain, but our Phase 2 options offer true, lifelong relief for many of our patients. These are long-term, non-surgical treatment options that resolve the cause of your temporomandibular joint dysfunction. Phase 2 treatment options include:
Learn More About TMJ Solutions in Grapevine, TX
If you’re in the Dallas area and you’d like to learn more about the TMJ treatments offered by TMJ Plus Wellness Center, contact us today at 817-481-6888 to schedule an appointment for a consultation.
Diagnosis
Treatment
Lifestyle and Home Remedies
Preparing For Your Appointment
