Are you experiencing pain near the ear, jaw or cheek area? Or frequent head or neck aches? Or popping or clicking sounds when you open your mouth, chew, yawn or talk? Or worse, locked or dislocated your jaw? You might be suffering from Temporo-Mandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorder. The TMJ connects the lower jaw to the skull (temporal bone) under the ear. It is one of the most frequently-used joint in the body. TMJ disorder can be caused by trauma (punch on the jaw or teeth-grinding), disease (osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis), wear and tear due to aging or bad habits like excessive chewing of gum or pencil-biting.
I’ve been suffering from headaches and neck pains for years and never thought that it was caused by my deteriorating TMJ. I only found out about my condition when I locked my jaw open (dislocated) while brushing my teeth. I was rushed to the hospital to have it fixed, with my mouth wide open oozing with drool! The doctor had to sedate me before maneuvering my TMJs back to their proper position. It was a grueling and painful experience.
The doctor referred me to an orthodontist who specializes in treating TMJ Disorders. The diagnosis was I have a "bad bite." Apparently, my TMJs compensated for the malocclusion and wore out the lining of the joints which eventually led to dislocation. The orthodontist made me wear a splint and dental braces to align the teeth and correct the bite. I also underwent physical therapy to hasten the healing process. Thank goodness I didn’t have to go through surgery just to fix the problem.
So if you are having terrible headaches and hear popping sounds when you open your mouth, have your TMJs checked as soon as possible. Don’t wait till you have to go to the nearest hospital with your mouth wide open. It’s just not a nice sight!
No comments:
Post a Comment