There are a lot of problems that can come from TMJ, also known as the temporomandibular joint. This specific joint is where your jaw hinges and connects to your skull. When this joint is inflamed, injured, weak, or otherwise not working properly, you could end up with a lot of pain that can change how much quality of life you have and what you are able to do on a regular basis. The sooner you are able to go in and get a TMJ disorder diagnosed, the more relief you are likely going to be able to find.

What Pain in Your TMJ Shows Up As

When your TMJ is causing issues, you may not know right off the bat that the pain is coming from your jaw bone. Sometimes, TMJ pain shows up as pain in or around your ear, pain in your temples, or even pain that radiates down your neck. If you wind up with regular earaches, it may take you going in and getting checked for multiple ear issues before you look beyond the ear, which is commonly what happens when someone is first noticing pain in their head. It can take going through and having multiple negatives coming back before a positive diagnosis is reached, so be prepared should you experience pain elsewhere than just in your jaw.

Some people only get discomfort in their TMJ while others have full-blown, excruciating pain. The pain can be so bad for some people, they struggle to open their mouths for things like eating, speaking, and drinking. When the pain gets severe, it is time to make sure that you go in and get checked out by someone that has experience figuring out TMJ problems. If you go in with a wide range of symptoms your doctor or dentist may not connect it to your jaw until after specific tests are run.

Most people with pain in their TMJ start off with a clenched jaw or a clicking or popping noise when they open and close their jaws. This symptom is present in most cases of TMJ dysfunction, so if you notice a noise now and again when you open or close your mouth, you should take note of what is going on and how often you notice this type of issue. If it begins to happen regularly, give your dentist or primary care physician a call and go in and get checked out.

Ways of Treating Pain in Your TMJ

There are some standard ways of treating TMJ, and there are a few optional treatment procedures that you can turn to if you are experiencing pain. Most dentists and doctors in the Columbus, Ohio area are going to want you to try and manage your pain with the least amount of medication as possible. You will want to start off with over the counter pain relievers like acetaminophen when necessary, and go up to NSAIDs if necessary, which include things like naproxen sodium and ibuprofen. If these do not manage your TMJ pain, it may be time to consider going in with an oral surgeon and cleaning up the joint itself to try and minimize your overall pain.

You can also try and use acupuncture and chiropractic’s as an alternative way of treating this type of pain, as some people have found relief with these methods. Massage is another option when you are having muscle spasms in or around the TMJ, as are compresses that are alternating between heat and cold. You can even try and slowly stretch out the muscles around the joint, as that has been shown to help the pain go down as well. If your doctor or dentist wants to try different medications, they may try putting you on a pack of steroids to help boost the healing of the joint, or even muscle relaxers to help when the spasms lock your jaw up or make it hard to move without pain.

Getting Your TMJ Looked at by the Right Doctor Is Important for Proper Diagnosis

When you suffer from pain when using your mouth to go about normal activities, or even pain in the surrounding area, make sure to get checked out. You may need to have something like a CAT scan or MRI done to get a proper diagnosis, but once you have been diagnosed, you can figure out ways of treating your TMJ pain. You do not need to live in fear of the muscles around your jaw locking up or preventing you from living a normal life. You just need to make sure you are getting treated properly for the cause of your specific type of pain.

If you believe you are suffering from TMJ dysfunction in or around the Columbus, Ohio area, give Mark Levy, DDS, a call today. Schedule your first appointment by calling (614)777-7350.