What is TMJ Syndrome ?

TMJ actually stands for Temporo-mandibular-joint. Temporo = The temporal bone of your skull that receives your lower jaw bone. Mandibular = Lower jaw bone that fits into the Temporal bone. Joint = The connective tissue (ligaments, disc, muscles) that connect the mandible and temporal bones. Technically you have two TMJ's, one on each side of the face.

What most people are thinking of when they ask the question "Do I have TMJ ?" is do they have a problem with their jaw joint. Pain and problems arising from the TMJ are actually termed TMD. TMD stands for Temporo-mandibular-disorder. I know this seems like a pretty small point, but it can be confusing, especially if you start doing web-searches for painful conditions of the your TMJ.

There are several painful conditions that can refer pain to the jaw area even though the pain is not actually coming from the TMJ . The most serious one is emerging heart attack pain from compromised arteries in and about the heart. Another example of pain in and about the TMJ that is not actually coming from it would be a tooth infection. We will talk more about self tests and how to determine if you have TMD / TMJ in the articles: When it seems like TMJ and It's Not and How to Tell If You Have A TMJ Issue.

TMJ pain / TMD typically is divided into three categories:

Arthrogenic = Pain emanating from the bony connection of the joint. This is things like arthritis, and joint restriction / dysfunction (the same thing occurs commonly in the spine, and is often why a chiropractor adjusts your back).

Myogenic = Pain emanating from the muscles responsible for moving your jaw up down and sideways, as well as the muscles that stabilize your tongue for swallowing. This is things like Trigger Points (focal areas of tightness in a muscle) or spasm (when the entire muscle contracts and locks down) or something called inhibition (when a muscle shuts down and stops working).

Neurogenic = Pain emanating from the main nerve to the face, the Trigeminal Nerve. This one is actually involved in the first two (after all nerves go to muscles and joints !) as well. However Neurogenic pain coming from the jaw usually is related to compression or friction on the Trigeminal Nerve as it exits your skull right behind your mandible (lower jaw).

What's The Big Deal With TMJ ?

If you aren't currently experiencing pain or limitation in your jaw or face, there is a good chance you don't have anything to worry about. If you are dealing with a problem in your TMJ joint (TMD) then you may have one or more of the following: Pain at the TMJ (usually described as just in front of the ear) Pain along the jaw line Limited and or painful opening of the mouth Clicking or popping of the mouth when talking or chewing "Tracking" issues when opening the mouth (jaw shifts to one side)

Other problems that can arise from a TMD (but may not be exclusive to it) are things like: headaches, crackling in the ears, fullness in the ears, snoring, neck pain, balance issues, pain in and about the face other than the jaw line, Trigeminal Neuralgia (very intense pain along the course of a nerve in the face), grinding the teeth at night and stress and anxiety.

TMD can on occasion come on suddenly (usually with a trauma) but more often gradually occurs over time. Stress, excessive gum chewing, tooth malposition, erupting wisdom teeth and developmental issues from birth have have all been implicated as causes. Usually these are quickly ruled in or out by a good history and examination. More often than not, it is not possible to identify a single cause for this condition.

If you have questions on any of the information covered in this article,  or would just like to run your concerns by somebody, we would be happy to talk with you. Feel free to contact us and we can set up a time to answer your questions.

Yours in Health,

TMJ Relief Center

Care Chiropractic

Lafayette, Indiana 765-448-6489