The Nightmare of TMJ Jaw Pain

Can you imagine being in pain every time you take a bite of food? What if having a conversation for a few minutes could cause pain to radiate across one side of your face? UP to 15% of Americans do not have to imagine these situations, because they have experienced TMJ jaw pain for themselves.

TMJ Problems

TMJ refers to the jaw joint in the mouth that makes it possible for us to move the lower part of our mouth. Without this important joint, many of our daily activities would be impossible. You’d have to turn your food into a decomposing mess just to sip it into your mouth because you wouldn’t be able to open wide enough to eat food normally. Talking would be more like whistles and hums than the complex sounds we can make today.

However, sometimes the problems with the joint lead to TMJ disorder. Because the jaw joint is so complex, many things can go wrong. The disc can become compressed on the trigeminal nerve causing pain. The ligaments connected to the joint can be injured. The joint itself can be damaged so it doesn’t line up properly. Hopefully, you get the idea.

The Problems & the TMJ Jaw Pain

When you have issues with that joint, the result is going to be pain in your jaw. Unfortunately, that pain can be quite severe. For some people, the discomfort is more practical. Their bite may become uneven, for example. Sometimes the jaw is tender to the touch. Other times it becomes so stiff you might not be able to move it without causing intense pain to radiate through your face. Locking, popping, and clicking are other problems regularly faced by TMJ sufferers.

Sometimes chewing and biting can become so difficult that eating is a challenge. Instead of being an enjoyable necessity, they begin to dread those feelings of hunger and the pain they may end up causing.

Seeking Help

Too many people who have TMJ jaw pain end up being treated for the pain but not for the root cause of the problem. Because the condition radiates from the mouth, most patients first visit their regular dentists instead of consulting a TMJ dentist. People assume the problem comes from a cavity or maybe wisdom tooth problems but when the cause is undiscovered they are sometimes sent to a physician who will be just as unable to make the diagnosis.

However, if they do have the food fortune to end up at one of the top TMJ specialists offices, they are more likely to get the diagnosis and to get an effective treatment that will begin correcting the overall problem with their jaw structure and not just addressing the pain those problems cause.

The Ramifications

If TMJ jaw pain is left untreated, a person’s quality of life ends up suffering greatly. With the right treatment from a TMJ jaw pain specialist, the problem can be corrected and the person can begin enjoying all of the benefits that jaw joint is supposed to provide.