TMJ Treatment | Maryland
June 26th, 2009 by wordpress
TMJ or temporomandibular joint syndrome is a medical condition related to the jaw joints. The TMJ connects the lower jaw to the skull. Disorders in this area would include head and neck pain, jaw locking with difficulty opening your mouth or biting and popping sounds when you open or close your mouth.
There are a fair share of available home remedies used to treat TMJ. Although they are not a cure they can bring much needed relief.
â— Heat and ice packs – placed on the temples or side of the face at 10 minute intervals can reduce some of the pain affecting the muscles in the jaw.
â— Diet – choose soft foods and avoid foods that require a large amount of chewing such as gum , caramels, or raw, hard vegetables.
â— Limit movement of the jaw – limit the amount of time the jaw remains open such as yawning or singing. Avoid too much pressure on the jaw such as leaning against your hand or arm while you sleep. Extended periods on the phone can also be harmful.
â— Dental Treatment – proper dental treatment means keeping your bite straight. Cavities can affect the way your teeth align.
â— Massage or physical therapy
â— Medications – most times anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen may be used. In some cases anti depressants and muscle relaxants can also relieve the pain. In extreme cases corticosteroid drugs which are drugs injected into the joint, or botulism toxins, injected into the muscle could also be quite beneficial.
â— Dental Appliances – Mouth guards may be used to reduce grinding or clenching of the teeth. Some inserts may make it easier for the lower jaw to fall into the TMJ socket.
â— Behavioral Therapy – some symptoms become worse when faced with stress or anxiety. Proper treatment of these conditions such as relaxation techniques could greatly reduce the amount of pain.
If home remedies fail to give any relief there are other procedures or surgeries that may help.
â— Surgery – removal of the disk between your mandible and the bones on the sides of the skull. With osteoarthritis a full or partial joint replacement may help.
â— Arthrocentesis – a needle is inserted into the joint to remove any byproducts or debris.
â— Dental Treatments – replacement of missing teeth, crowns, or fillings to create more balance.
