Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) occur as a result of problems with the jaw, jaw joint and surrounding facial muscles that control chewing and moving the jaw. These disorders are often incorrectly called TMJ, which stands for  temporomandibular joint, since this is the affected joint.  It is also called TMJD, for temporomandibular joint disorder, which is probably the most descriptive term.

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the hinge joint that connects the lower jaw (mandible) to the temporal bone of the skull,  in front of the ear on each side of your head. The flexible joints allow the jaw to move smoothly up and down and side to side. The movement of the jaw is controlled by muscles surrounding the TMJ.

What Causes TMJ (TMD)?

The cause of TMJD is not clear, but dentists believe that symptoms arise from problems with the muscles of the jaw or with the parts of the joint itself.

Injury to the jaw, temporomandibular joint, or muscles of the head and neck – such as from a heavy blow or whiplash – can cause TMD. Other possible causes include:

• Grinding or clenching the teeth, which puts a lot of pressure on the TMJ
• Dislocation of the soft cushion or disc between the ball and socket
• Presence of osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis in the TMJ
• Stress, which can cause a person to tighten facial and jaw muscles or clench the teeth

Although the cause of most of these disorders is not known, there are some known contributing factors to the development of TMJ disorders.  Among them are:

• autoimmune diseases
• infections
• injuries to the jaw area
• dental procedures
• stretching of the jaw as occurs with inserting a breathing tube before surgery
• various forms of arthritis

Genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors can also increase the risk for TMJD. Studies have shown that a particular gene variant increases sensitivity to pain and this variant has been found to be more prevalent among TMJD patients than among the populations at large. The observation that TMJD are commonly found in women in their childbearing years has also led to research to determine the role of female sex hormones in these disorders. Environmental factors such as habitual gum chewing or sustained jaw positions may also contribute to TMJD.

Symptoms of TMJ

The pain of TMJ is usually described as a dull, aching pain which comes and goes.  It is generally felt in the jaw joint and nearby areas.  There are some people who report no pain, but still have problems using their jaws.

TMJ symptoms can include:

• pain in the jaw muscles
• pain in the neck and shoulders
• chronic headaches
• jaw muscle stiffness
• limited movement or locking of the jaw
• ear pain, pressure
• painful clicking, popping or grating in the jaw joint when opening or closing the mouth
• a bite that feels “off”

Less common symptoms include: ringing in the ears (tinnitus), dizziness, and vision problems.

TMJ Treatment Options

There are many options for treatment of TMJ, ranging from literally doing nothing, to elaborate devices or even surgery in extreme cases.  TMJ often will just ease away over time, but often it will not.

Anti-inflammatory pain medicines, such as ibuprofen, will help with TMJ sometimes, but should not be used to excess.  There are also dentists that specialize in the treatment of TMJ.  There are many who tend to encourage resting the jaw, eating soft foods, avoiding stress, and so on as a  treatment for TMJ.  Others recommend mouthpieces or other devices, ad still others recommend exercises.

TMJ exercises are a great way to treat and relieve the pain of this annoying affliction.  That is what finally worked for me.  I tried several things, including a mouthpiece and way too much ibuprofen, but in the end, Sandra Carter’s book of TMJ Exercises worked best for me. Find out more here.

TMJ exercises are designed to relieve the pain and discomfort of temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMJ for short. If you have battled with this common affliction, you know how painful and frustrating this can be. In fact, this jaw condition is estimated to affect approximately 20% of the U.S. population. Many of these could benefit from TMJ Exercises.

Put simply, TMJ is an inflammation of the joint which connects your jawbone to your skull. This is a busy part of your body, used many times each day. Some say it is caused by the displacement of the jaw due tight muscles and tendons pulling it too far in one direction. That is why TMJ exercises can provide relief.

Regardless of the cause, the result can be severe pain, as you may well know. Perhaps you grind or clinch your teeth, another common problem. Many of you probably suffer from headaches, or even hearing and vision problems. Certain TMJ exercises can help with these symptoms.

The reasons for the inflammation are not always clear, and there are a variety of TMJ treatments out there under the different disciplines of dentistry, neurology, physical therapy or even psychology.

While it is not life-threatening, TMJ can be either an incredibly acute pain or a permanent dull ache that affects your quality of life. Fortunately, there are a number of TMJ exercises available which help to relieve discomfort. Stress is a major contributor to TMJ so relaxing TMJ exercises will be very helpful.

TMJ Exercises and Other Treatments

Unfortunately, TMJ is often regarded by the medical community as something that will just go away with time and a little ibuprofen. If you are a TMJ sufferer, you can certainly explain that this is simply not true. TMJ exercises not only help to get rid of the pain, they also help in relaxing the muscles of the face.

The type of TMJ treatment get usually depends on the sort of physician that you see. In general, you may get some pain relief through the use of drugs, but this is not going to be cure for the problem. More permanent relief is often found by taking into consideration the way that you are using your facial and jaw muscles. This is why people find that TMJ exercises can be so useful.

Many dentists are offering night guards and mouth splints as a solution. These are meant to curb teeth grinding while you sleeping, and to help realign the jaw by positioning your mouth in the right spot. Unfortunately, these mouth guards can be expensive, and seem to be ineffective a lot of the time. Some patients complain that they end up grinding their teeth right through the mouth guard. They also do nothing for the pain of TMJ.

TMJ exercises have been shown to permanently cure TMJ. As with many holistic approaches, these TMJ exercises are not yet as well known or as widely accepted, particularly in the medical community, but they work incredibly well and thousands of people are starting to benefit from them.

How Do TMJ Exercises Work?

TMJ exercises work on the cause of TMJ. It may not be apparent, but the way that we hold our bodies, and our jaws, is shaped by our lifestyles. Do you spend a lot of time sitting at a desk behind a computer? This can cause you to be tense through your neck and facial muscles. Or perhaps you are under stress, causing you to grind your teeth. TMJ exercises help to relieve these things.

Any of these can result in you developing the TMJ condition, and it may take time before it fully presents itself. When it does the outcome can be pain in the jaw joints, with associated headaches and neck pain.

TMJ exercises can help us to stretch and relax our muscles, which often become taut and tense, reducing the flow of blood, which results in pain. The gentle TMJ exercises relax the muscle, improving the flow of blood, carrying much-needed oxygen to the cells and cleansing the waste way. There are other TMJ exercises which help you realign your body. Bad habits of posture which, over time, can contribute to an onset of TMJ.

There are lots of TMJ sufferers who can testify to the benefits of TMJ exercises. Regular exercise can bring you a relief, or a cure! This also avoids the need to pump chemicals into your body. And corrective surgery, although appropriate in some circumstances, brings its own set of risks with it. If simple TMJ exercises can relieve or even cure TMJ, shouldn’t you give it a try?

TMJ exercises work by stretching, massaging and strengthening muscles in your body. This releases pressure on the stressed muscles and tendons in your jaw. By doing this your jaw can begin to relax and realign itself back to a normal position.

Learn More About the Benefits of TMJ Exercises