Everyone is Different
There are many symptoms of TMJ disorders that can present themselves in a variety of ways. The abbreviation “TMJ” literally refers to the joint but is often used to mean any disorders or symptoms of the jaw joint region. Many TMJ related symptoms are caused by the effects of physical and emotional stress while others can be caused by trauma to the head, neck or jaw.
Symptoms
Do you suffer from facial pain, headaches or ear pain? Do you have a sore neck or shoulders? What about stiffness or clicking in your jaw or jaw locking? If any, or all, of these sound familiar, you may be suffering from a TMJ disorder.
The TMJ (temporomandibular joint) is the hinge where the lower jawbone connects to the skull. The disorder occurs when there is excess pressure in the joint. Factors that can cause TMJ issues include misalignment of the jaw or teeth, physical trauma, degenerative disease or, most commonly, tension in the jaw muscles and/or jaw joint resulting from teeth clenching or grinding.
TMJ disorders are progressive and can cause chronic or intermittent pain that ranges from mild to severe. While actual joint pain can occur, typically symptoms manifest elsewhere and can include headaches, earaches or tinnitus, facial pain or sore muscles in the upper body. The Journal of the American Medical Association once described TMJ disorders as “the great imposter” for the way they mimic other disorders.
A healthy temporomandibular joint is an important part of feeling good and being pain free!
Since 2003, Dr. Maggan has limited his practice to the treatment of TMJ disorders, headaches, facial pain, sleep apnea and snoring. If you have any of these symptoms, contact our office in Alpharetta, GA, for an initial TMJ disorder evaluation.