TMJ syndrome is an acute or chronic condition affecting the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), or joints of the jaw.  TMJ syndrome is also referred to as temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD).  Currently an estimated 10 million people in the United States suffer from TMJ syndrome, with 25% of the population suffering from symptoms at some time in their lives.  Although women suffer from this disorder four times more than men do, nearly two million men are afflicted with jaw pain, making it one of the most common disorders I see in my Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, and West Hollywood chiropractic practice.  Because of the multifactorial nature of this disorder, comanagement between a chiropractor and a dentist may be necessary.

What exactly is TMJ syndrome exactly?  TMJ syndrome includes a variety of disorders; the most typical undoubtedly is really a bone and joint discomfort syndrome.  80 percent of TMJ disorders are muscular in character.  The muscles of mastication have physical nerve materials, and then when jaw pain one side discomfort exists, it arises from during sex.  Consequently, the easiest method to treat jaw discomfort is as simple as dealing with the involved muscles.

The main originators of jaw discomfort would be the pterygoid muscles.  Structurally, these sit in within the mouth, just between your nicotine gums and also the oral cavity.  The lateral pterygoids depress the mandible, or quite simply, open the mouth, while medial pterygoids help in closing the mouth.  These muscle could possibly get overstressed by excessive eating (e.g. from gum), biting lower on very difficult objects, and clenching the jaw.  Jaw clenching, or bruxism, happens subconsciously, frequently throughout sleep.

Overstressed pterygoid muscles pull around the jaw, resulting in a sense of rigidity or jaw discomfort.  This turns into a vicious circle because it results in an abnormal bite further leading to rigidity.  You can observe for those who have tight pterygoid muscles by searching within the mirror, smiling to ensure that your teeth show, after which gradually opening the mouth area to completion.  If you notice your jaw deviate to one for reds or even the other throughout jaw opening, you've tight pterygoid muscles.  Very frequently individuals with TMJ syndrome come with an alteration in deviation from the jaw-that's, they'll see their jaw move from one for reds towards the other a number of occasions throughout opening.  Alongside it the jaw eventually ends up on may be the tight and therefore dysfunctional side.

TMJ may cause the next signs and symptoms

•             Jaw discomfort

•             Ear discomfort

•             Ringing within the ears (tinnitus)

•             Clicking or popping from the jaw on eating or speaking or both

•             Lock jaw

•             Neck discomfort

•             Headaches

•             Chipped or cracked teeth

Lots of people with TMJ syndrome give doctors offices with neck discomfort that's unresponsive to many traditional remedies (over-the-counter discomfort medication, chiropractic care changes, neck massage).  Once TMJ syndrome is identified, you will find several ways it may be alleviated.