So many of us are guilty of taking our temporomandibular joints for granted until they cause us pain. This joins the temporal bone of the skull with the lower jaw bone, known as the mandible. Chronic pain, when performing normal opening and closing during talking, yawning or chewing, is referred to as temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD). There is often a clicking or “popping” sound associated with these movements.
TMD is commonly caused by clenching and grinding of the teeth, stress, trauma to the jaw, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or improper spinal alignment. There is no widely accepted standard diagnostic test to identify all TMD’s or universal treatment modality. If you experience any symptoms, relief is within sight. Some suggestions for managing your symptoms include:
- OTC Pain relievers: Advil or Motrin (up to 800mg four times a day for adults) or any other anti-inflammatory medication that you can take may ease some pain of TMD.
- Food for thought: A diet change may also be beneficial especially during Halloween season! Avoid chewy foods or hard candies that will put more strain on the chewing joints and stick to a soft diet.
- Supplements: Magnesium may also reduce muscle tension. Supplements may be beneficial, especially during menstruation because this mineral gets depleted. Recommended foods high in magnesium include beans and nuts, whole grains and green leafy vegetables. According to Shape magazine, just a half cup of pumpkin seeds provides 92% of the daily requirement for magnesium! Try mixing them into stews, salads or smoothies for a delicious fall treat.
- Talking with your dentist: They may be able to treat with a nighttime soft or hard mouth splint. Additional tests may be prescribed such as a Panoramic radiograph to see the bony structures of the TM joint or an MRI to image the disc and surrounding muscles.
- Contributing factors: Lifestyle changes and stress reducing activities will positively impact overall well-being. Find a counselor that you can speak with about your stress.
- Alternative therapies: Acupuncture, visits physical therapist who specializes in ergonomics and posture, back rolling, trigger point therapy and warm compresses over the joint have helped patients in the past.
- Stretching: The most conservative approaches include a routine of rest and light jaw exercise. You can open as wide as possible without pain, slide your jaw to one side and hold there for 10 seconds. Return jaw to the center and repeat on the other side
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If your symptoms are not getting any better, then you and your doctor can discuss surgical options. This condition doesn’t just show up overnight and it will take some time to feel better. Healthy lifestyle changes are difficult for everyone but you should reward yourself when you do make progress with some fun this fall!
Until next time,
Lynne