Tips for Preventing Temporomandibular Joint Pain
Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ) is a group of symptoms identified by the pain caused in the head, face and jaw. These symptoms include soreness in the chewing muscles, headaches, and stiffness or clicking of the joints.
TMJ in most cases is a long-lasting painful condition that reduces the quality of life. Even though patients are aware of the symptoms, they are often misinformed about the possible treatment options.
The problems result from pressure on the facial nerves caused by muscle tension or abnormalities of the bones in the area between the lower jaw and the temporal bone. A hinge joint called the temporomandibular joint connects the temporal bone and the jaw bone (the mandible).
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Sometimes a CT or even an MRI can be performed to provide a detailed image of the joint 's bone structure.
Prevention:
Thankfully, these are some easy strategies for pain relief for TMJ. You can get rid of some habit that can exarcerbate TMJ pain. These are things to avoid:
• Sleeping on your side or belly exerts massive pressure on the TMJ joint. You can actually feel the pressure in your joint when you lie down in those position. Sleeping on your back is the best position that protects your joints from pressure and pain.
• Using your shoulder to hold the phone to your ear also causes tension to the muscles of your neck and huge pressure to the jaw joint. To avoid this, you should use a headset.
• Chewing gum is another cause of TMJ pain. It tightens your muscles around your jaw. You may experience ear and jaw pain up to two days after chewing gum. You should avoid chewing gums and foods that require a lot of chewing, especially when you experience acute pain.
• Too much talking exerts pressure on your temporomandibular joint and leads to various TMJ