What is TMJ?

TMJ is a misnomer. We refer to the problems of the joint apparatus, as TMJD, or temporomandibular joint disorder.

TMJ actually means temporomandibular joint. This is the joint in front of your ears that works when you open and close your mouth. The upper part of the joint is the base of your skull, called the temporal bone; the lower part is called the condyle and is part of your jawbone or mandible. Between these two parts is a cartilage type disc, called the articular disc, which is enclosed in a capsule and connected to the bones with ligaments and muscle fibers. There are many blood vessels and nerves in this area, particularly the auriculotemporal nerve. The disc in the joint region could be displaced, somewhat like a sprained knee, causing the supporting tissues to overcompensate for the imbalances. This is called an internal derangement of the joint. When there is a problem in the TMJ area these tissues may become compressed or spastic, leading to headaches and pain. The painful regions sometimes include the shoulders and the back; many times the neck is involved as well. The most common complaints are headache, with pain and difficulty upon opening the mouth, pain around the ears, noises from the front of the ears, and pain around the eyes and forehead.

But, calling all head and neck pain "TMJD" is not correct, as other head and neck pain disorders mimic pain in the temporomandibular joint. These other syndromes may be muscular in nature and/or may be related to other organic and non organic problems. Many times my patients have seen numerous doctors, especially orthopedists, neurologists, and ear, nose and throat physicians. Some patients were living their lives by taking massive doses of medication to control their pain. The challenge is to determine the causes of the pain and treat the pain from the cause rather than treating only the symptoms. Maybe it’s not TMJD . . .

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URL: http://www.tmjheadache.com
E-mail: drg@tmjheadache.com