Signs and symptoms in addition to clicking and popping jaw joint noise
might include headaches and migraine; or jaw, facial and neck pain.
… associated with an imbalance in the
musculature.”
Next, Sisson tests the muscles, looking for
strengths and weaknesses. If his prognosis
is not chronic, arthritic or otherwise degenerative,
in which cases he can only offer
palliative or temporary treatment, he will
see patients during a period of adjustments,
sometimes before and after he refers them
to dental specialists or oral, maxillofacial
surgeons.
“I’m obligated to refer to the appropriate
person if I find the condition’s progressed so
far that I don’t think that I can do anything
for the person,” Sisson says.
Signs and symptoms in addition to clicking
and popping jaw joint noises might
include headaches and migraines; or jaw,
facial and neck pains.
“Unless the problem is addressed, TMD
will likely progress to irreversible damage
of the joints and teeth,” Dr. Kuzma states.
“Like most things, when caught early, the
condition is more easily resolved.”
The cause of abnormality in this joint
varies across the board.
“In some individuals, the TMJ is underdeveloped
due to poor blood supply during
growth,” says Dr. Brady Semmel DMD,
MD of Semmel Oral + Facial Surgery. “In
others, there is overgrowth of the bones of
the joint. When there is a discrepancy of the
joint on both sides, this can lead to a TMJ
disorder.”
These bite imbalances can occur continually
over time, affecting the muscles of
the head and neck, resulting in pain. TMJ
disorder can also be attributed to a myriad
of causes: major and minor trauma, from an
automobile accident, interpersonal violence
or sports injury, to grinding of the teeth,
nail biting or even gum chewing. The force
of these interactions typically cause inflammation
of the tendons and tissues around
this joint, and if not treated properly, can
lead to major discomfort.
“Also, inflammatory disorders such as
arthritis can affect this joint much like other
joints,” Semmel states. “Some individuals
develop tumors of the joint.”
Repetitive discomfort and trauma to the
joint can lead to malocclusion, while constant
inflammation of the joint can develop
myofascial pain disorder (MPD). In the
field of acupuncture and oriental medicine,
TMJ disorder, along with any other naturally
occurring symptoms, as opposed to
traumatically occurring symptoms, is seen
as a progression through many stages of
development.
“Imbalances at an energy level can lead
to deeper imbalances at a mental and
48
WBM march 2012
Could you
have TMJ?
If you have one or more of these
common symptioms, it might be
time to see a TMJ specialist.
Headache
TMJ Pain
TMJ Noise
Limited Opening
Ear Congestion
Facial Pain
Jaw Clenching
Teeth Grinding
Sensitive Teeth
Dizziness
Difficulty Swallowing
Ringing In the Ears
Neck, shoulder or back pain
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