TMD
What is TMD?
First let’s review some terminology. The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the jaw joint. The term is coined from the names of the 2 bones that form this joint; temporal (2 paired bones of your skull positioned at the sides of your head just above your ears) and mandible (the bone that forms your chin and supports your bottom teeth). Temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD) is the term referring to dysfunctions arising in this temporomandibular joint. We commonly refer to these terms by their acronyms TMJ and TMD respectively.
TMD is more common in females than males and symptoms of these disorders tend to arise during adolescence or adulthood. They can often arise in conjunction with other chronic illnesses such as fibromyalgia or myofascial pain syndrome. People with TMD often also suffer from anxiety/increased stress. It may be caused by issues directly related to the TMJ itself (arthritis, joint degeneration, hyperlaxity or displacement of the articular disc) or related to the TMJ musculature be it poor coordination of movement and/or localized/referred muscle pain or a combination of these problems. Some common symptoms of TMD can include;
pain and/or clicking in the TMJ
difficulty eating/chewing
pain with yawning
headaches that are typically temporal (located in the sides of the head)
dizziness/fatigue.
How do I know if I have it?
If you now recognize that you experience some or all of the TMD symptoms listed above and you may be asking yourself, what should I do?
The first thing you should do is discuss it with your primary doctor. You can start by taking the TMD pain screener and sharing your results with them. This will allow them to correctly screen you for any need (urgent or not) to consult with other specialists in order to rule out any more serious underlying pathology since many TMD symptoms are also symptoms of other illnesses. They may ask that you get a TMJ or cervical spine X ray or other imaging, that you see an ENT or neurologist for your dizziness or other. Since this process may take weeks or even months, it may be unwise to go without any form of treatment during this process. It is usually advised to undergo sme form of conservative (meaning non-surgical) treatment ASAP in order to prevent aggravation of symptoms but it is important to verify with your doctor if starting conservative treatment is right in your specific case.
Now if you have already been consulting many specialists trying all sorts of different ways to manage your pain without luck, you may have fibromyalgia, myofascial pain syndrome, chronic headaches and neck pain and all more serious pathologies have been ruled out, it is time that you seek out conservative treatment that is right for you. Unfortunately, not all healthcare professionals know much about TMD and know that conservative treatments can help and so it may be time to take your health into your own hands and consult a physical therapist specializing in TMD.
The longer you have lived with the pain the harder it may be to treat so early intervention is key.