The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is just below and in front of your ear on either side of your face. This joint connects your lower jaw to your upper jaw and gives it movement. Without your two TMJs, it wouldn’t be possible to open your mouth to speak or eat. This alone makes the temporomandibular joint pretty important.

When there is a problem with the TMJ, it can become painful and uncomfortable to open your mouth wide, chew, yawn, speak, or sing. Additionally, opening your mouth wide may cause your jaw to click and pop or even lock up. You might experience facial pain and swelling, headaches, earaches, shoulder and neck pain. Sometimes symptoms appear in other parts of your body that often get misdiagnosed , such as dizziness and numbness or tingling in your fingers, because doctors don’t often associate these things with TMD.

In other words… TMD can be a real pain!

The exact cause of TMD may not be easy to identify in every patient because it can stem from any number of biological, physical, environmental, and behavioral factors. One thing that is clear — stress is a major contributing factor in exacerbating TMD. If you clench your jaw or grind your teeth at night, for instance, you may experience worsening TMD related pain and discomfort, including headaches, jaw pain, facial swelling and sensitive teeth. Your habits can also contribute to your TMD pain. For example, if you chew on your pen or bite your nails, if you love crunching on ice, if you tend to shift your jaw to one side, you might be making your TMD worse.

TMD SYMPTOMS:

The #1 symptom is PAIN — jaw, neck, temple, and facial pain, headaches, earaches
Other common symptoms include:

• Jaw clicking and popping
• Jaw locking up temporarily
• Jaw stiffness (especially in the morning)
• Limited range of motion
• Sensitive or brittle teeth
• Numbness or tingling in the fingers