Sunday, November 30, 2008

How To Tell If You Have A TMJ Symptom

By Rashel Dan

TMJ is a health condition that initially affects the jaw area and then other parts of the body such as the head, neck, shoulders, and back. It is accompanied by pain and discomfort in the jaw. TMJ is basically caused by an inflammation in the jaw, which eventually causes a TMJ symptom you might or might not notice.

Some patients may experience symptoms that are so miniscule that they will not feel uncomfortable having them for the rest of their lives. However, if a TMJ symptom is found, it is important to find treatment right away, since TMJ does not only affect the jaw. If you'd like to know whether you have a TMJ symptom or not, go through some of the common TMJ symptoms.

TMJ Symptoms

One of the first things you may notice when you have TMJ is feeling a particular soreness in your facial muscles or jaws upon waking up in the morning. You may find that you have a hard time opening and closing your mouth, or biting properly. These conditions make it especially difficult for you to chew or eat certain types of food. TMJ can also impair speech to a certain degree, as the jaw tends to lock or experience too much tension.

Along with the soreness and the impairment of physical function are the observable sounds in your jaw like clicking and popping. Grinding sounds can also occur as you start to grind your teeth to find a good bite. Grinding can occur at night when you are sleeping, so if your roommate or partner tells you about this the next day, then may have a TMJ symptom.

The Visible Symptoms

Some patients of TMJ noticed their jaws protruding from their faces. If you need to physically pull your jaw backwards towards your ears just to have a comfortable bite, then you may have a TMJ symptom. When you have TMJ, your body reflexes by using your chewing muscles to tow your jaw forward.

In more severe cases of TMJ, the head may even start to lean forward as the anterior neck muscles gradually stretch. This can give you overall bad posture.

A probably more obvious TMJ symptom is if the areas around your mouth become swollen and red. Another obvious TMJ symptom is having an unbalanced lip position and a prominent facial fold under the chin.

Symptoms Of Other Conditions

The sad truth about TMJ is that it may complicate into other conditions. Symptoms can be experienced in linked conditions such as headaches and ringing in the ears, since the head and ears are one of the closest body parts to the affected jaw. You may feel constantly dizzy or develop sleeping disorders because of the discomfort.

A TMJ symptom can lead to bad posture and therefore chronic back pain and even difficulty swallowing/breathing. You may also develop cervical problems including pain and discomfort in the cervix, since a TMJ symptom can gradually become a symptom found in the head and neck. - 15343

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