An imbalance in your temporomandibular joint can cause headaches, dizziness, nausea, teeth grinding, limited jaw movement, muscle soreness and can change the alignment of your jaw . When your jaw alignment is off, the effects ripple through your entire body.
How does temporomandibular disorder affect your daily life?
The repetitive jaw movement can worsen TMJ symptoms, including the soreness and headaches. As a result, people with TMJ disorder may stop eating normally or avoid eating altogether. This can lead to unintentional weight loss, nutritional deficiencies and a slew of health problems .
Can TMJ affect your brain?
When one or both of these joints misalign, it is called TMD, a temporomandibular joint disorder. Untreated TMD can lead to memory loss as the misalignment of the jaw can lead to chronic pain which affects many parts of your brain.
Is TMJ a serious problem?
Left untreated, TMJ disorder can lead to significant health problems, including chronic pain and inflammation . It can also cause bite issues, tooth erosion and long-term conditions such as sleep apnea, insomnia, depression and anxiety.
Can TMJ affect your heart?
Cardiac arrhythmia has been linked to TMD . Arrhythmia is characterized by exceptionally fast, slow or irregular heartbeats. Although it is harmless, arrhythmias can be life-threatening. Some symptoms include chest pain, dizziness, fatigue, fainting and cardiac arrest.
Can TMJ affect your chest?
When your jaw is out of alignment and your muscles are feeling irritated or stressed you can end up causing problems for your nerves as well! Plenty of TMD patients have reported numbness and tingling in their face, neck, chest, and arms because of their jaws , which can be absolutely terrifying.
Can you live a normal life with TMJ?
The vast majority of people living with TMJ disorder are able to manage their symptoms and pain so they can continue living normal lives .
What happens if you leave TMJ untreated?
Although not life threatening, if TMJ disorder is left untreated, it can contribute to significant discomfort and tension . Chronic pain can even lead to the development of diseases like anxiety and depression.
Can TMJ cause weight gain?
Weight Gain
Some people with TMJ have the opposite problem . Jaw pain, dysfunction, or tooth wear can make it hard to eat hard foods, which can lead to a diet composed mostly of soft, processed junk foods.
Can TMJ affect your spine?
Wiesinger reported that the incidence of spinal pain increased with the frequency and intensity of temporomandibular joint pain [17]. In a US study, 54% of TMD patients reported neck pain and 64% reported low back pain [7]. Other studies have shown that chronic spinal pain is associated with TMD [18, 19].
Is TMJ curable?
Unfortunately, there is no cure for arthritis . This means that for anyone suffering from TMJ due to arthritis, there’s also no cure for the TMJ disorder. An eroded disk or a connective tissue disease may similarly have no cure. However, there are steps you can take to manage your TMJ pain.
Can TMJ affect your eyes?
4. Blurred vision – Much in the same way that TMD can cause hearing problems, the disorder can also result in vision issues. Inflamed nerves behind the eyes can lead to blurred vision, eye twitches, and light sensitivity .
What should you not do with TMJ?
- Avoid Chewing Gum. ...
- Avoid Eating Hard Foods. ...
- Avoid Non-Functional Jaw Activites. ...
- Avoid Resting on Your Chin. ...
- Avoid Chewing Only on One Side. ...
- Try to Stop Clenching Your Teeth. ...
- Stop Slouching. ...
- Stop Waiting to Get Treatment.
Is TMJ a permanent condition?
Clenching and grinding of teeth are two of the major causes of TMJ pain. However, this is not an irreversible condition, and with proper treatment, one may be able to cure TMJ pain permanently . For starters, you must stop any habits of teeth grinding or clenching, and anything that puts pressure on the joint.
How do you permanently fix TMJ?
Jaw exercises are some of the most effective ways to relieve TMJ tightness and even cure TMJ permanently. They help strengthen the jaw muscles, increase jaw mobility, reduce jaw clicking and promote jaw healing. They also help stretch and relax the jaw.
Can TMJ happen suddenly?
While there are several reasons a patient can experience sudden or severe jaw pain , inflammation and overworked muscles tend to be the most common causes of TMJ flare-ups. Many physical changes and lifestyle habits can contribute to swelling around the joint and muscle tension.
Can TMJ be caused by anxiety?
Stress & Anxiety Can Lead to TMJ Disorder
Dr. Meyer explains that temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) can develop over time. This is as a result of restless, stress-induced sleep where you are grinding your teeth and jaw clenching unconsciously.
How do I know if my heart is OK?
Your Heart Rate
Each pulse matches up with a heartbeat that pumps blood through your arteries. Finding out your pulse helps your doctor judge the strength of your blood flow and blood pressure in different areas of your body. You can tell how fast your heart beats and whether it’s regular by feeling your pulse .
Can TMJ affect your legs?
The back is prone to TMJ related pain, as it becomes strained in order to maintain the body’s balance. This tension can lead to numbness in your extremities, so if you’re experiencing any tingling sensations in your arms, legs, fingers or toes, it could be a sign of a TMJ disorder.
Can TMJ cause high blood pressure?
TMJ headaches can also be caused by a build-up of blood pressure . When the muscles in your head, face and neck are strained, blood is prevented from flowing to the right places. Then your body attempts to correct the problem by sending more blood to the area, which increases blood pressure.
What causes TMJ to flare up?
That said, the main causes of TMJ flare ups are stress, which can lead to jaw clenching or bruxism (teeth grinding) while you’re asleep or awake; hormonal changes, such as those brought on by birth control or supplements; hard and chewy foods, which can strain the already stressed TMJ and includes foods such as apples, ...
Does TMJ affect your face?
Yes, over time, TMJ disorder can alter the shape of your face . Facial symmetry can be lost, your teeth may change the way they meet together in your mouth, and over-activity in the masseter muscle can cause the jaw to appear swollen and square.
Does caffeine affect TMJ?
Reduce caffeine intake
Caffeine can make your TMJ symptoms worse because caffeine makes your muscles move more than they would without caffeine. Caffeine also amps up your nervous system, making you feel even more anxious and stressed, and consequently, making you tense up your muscles including those in your jaw.
Does TMJ get worse if not treated?
If you do not seek treatment, your TMJ symptoms may worsen –this includes your jaw pain. Chronic refers to a long-developing symptom or syndrome. When you do not deal with your jaw pain, it can turn from being occasional to being constant for a long-while.
What does severe TMJ feel like?
Feeling pain or exhaustion within your facial muscles . Swelling on either side of the face. Pain around or in either ear. Discomfort or pain when chewing.
Where do you massage TMJ?
- Locate the mandible muscle. This is the lower part of your jaw just below the masseter, found along your jawline.
- Apply gentle, constant pressure to the mandible muscle using your index finger.
- Experiment with the exact spot and amount of pressure that works for you.
