There’s no one cause for tmj disorders. But many people find that simple at-home treatments ease their pain and discomfort. These include avoiding chewing gum or tough foods, relaxing the jaw muscles, and using bite plates and splints to stop clenching and grinding (bruxism).

Health care providers also may recommend medications like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or muscle relaxants. In rare cases, surgery may be needed.

Symptoms

Like your knee and wrist joints, the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) moves hundreds of times a day. But when it is damaged, it can cause pain, stiffness, and limited movement. TMD symptoms can be divided into two groups: Intra-articular disorders that affect the joint and its muscles, and myofascial pain disorders affecting the muscle tissue surrounding the joint.

Symptoms of TMD can include jaw pain, ear pain, and neck pain. Other common symptoms are clicking or popping sounds in the TMJ area, swelling of the sides of the face, pain when chewing, and a limited ability to open the mouth wide.

TMD sufferers also report tooth sensitivity, as the TMJ nerves that connect to the teeth are affected by inflammation in the TMJ area. Bellevue TMD patients might experience vision changes because the nerves that control eye focusing and movement are connected to the TMJ area. Stress and clenching of the teeth are other contributors to TMDs, as are parafunctional habits such as nail biting and chewing on hard objects.

Diagnosis

To diagnose TMD, your doctor will ask about your health history and examine your jaw, teeth, face, neck, and shoulders. They will look for pain when you chew or move your jaw, a clicking or popping sound when you open or close your mouth, and tenderness over the jaw muscle area. They will also test your range of motion to see how far you can open and close your mouth.

TMD symptoms can be mild or severe, and they may come and go. Many people find that self-care practices, such as eating soft foods, applying ice packs and moist heat, and avoiding habits that can aggravate the TMJ (such as gum chewing and excessive wide yawning) improve their symptoms over time.

Medical professionals can also use a procedure called arthroscopy to see inside the joint and remove scar-like tissue, called adhesions, or reposition the TMJ disc. This reduces inflammation and helps with pain relief and improved mouth opening.

Treatment

Many patients are misled by over-hyped advertisements about how TMJ can be easily fixed. TMD can be a serious, complex condition that is often difficult to diagnose and treat. It may take a team of specialists including health care providers, dentists and ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctors.

TMDs can be caused by stress, jaw trauma or a bad bite, and can affect one or both sides of the head. Symptoms include pain or tenderness in the area of the jaw joint, clicking, locking, or limited jaw movement. TMD can also cause headaches, neck aches or shoulder pain.

Home treatments like eating soft foods, applying ice and moist heat, and avoiding extreme jaw movements or activities like wide yawning, biting down on hard objects, chewing gum or clenching your teeth can help ease symptoms in many people. Anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen can help reduce pain and swelling. In rare cases, a procedure called arthrocentesis is used to drain fluid from the joint and remove inflammatory byproducts.

Prevention

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) connects the lower jaw to your skull in front of your ears. The muscles in the joint are responsible for opening and closing your mouth. TMJ disorders can occur due to jaw injuries, inflammations like arthritis, or overuse of the joint.

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to prevent TMJ symptoms. Maintain good oral hygiene, avoid hard or chewy foods, and do not clench or grind your teeth. You can also try exercises and relaxation techniques to ease TMJ pain.

Massaging the area around the TMJ can help reduce pain and tension. It can also strengthen the muscles around the joint, which can help alleviate your pain. Some simple exercises include: