Jaw Pain: Is It TMJ Disorder?

Jaw pain can be irritating and persist for a long time. You can't eat properly and you can't laugh out loud. If you have jaw pain on only one side, it can be due to the problem within the joint (temporomandibular joint - TMJ) or other structures around the joint.

TMJ is a joint that is involved in opening and closing our mouth. You can locate the joint by placing your finger directly in front of your ear and then open and close your mouth. The movement you feel is your TMJ in action.

       Temporomandibular joint

The problems within the TMJ that cause pain may arise from the joint itself, the bones that make up the joint, and the surrounding muscles/tendons. It is simply referred as TMJ disorder. In most cases, the joint is "damaged" and becomes sore and stiff due to various reasons. These reasons are usually associated with overuse or "abuse" of the TMJ, such as:

• habitual teeth grinding
• habitual fingernails biting
• excessive gums chewing
• always chew on one side
• misaligned teeth
• open the mouth too wide frequently
• aging of joint (arthritis)

This is the pure TMJ disorders and the pain is usually felt when you use your TMJ such as opening your mouth. When you do not move your mouth, there is usually no pain. The pain may be worse when you open your mouth after a long period of time resting it. Sometimes you can feel the clicking sound from the TMJ when you open your mouth. It can also be accompanied by headache, giddiness or ear pain.

As the causes of these TMJ disorders are overuse/abuse of the TMJ, you should identify the reason and try to correct or avoid it. Rest your jaw by avoid excessive chewing, chewing hard food or opening the mouth too wide. Cold & heat application and some regular jaw exercise by opening and closing your mouth gently may help to prevent stiffness and improve the pain.

The pain can improve and diminish within few days or weeks but sometimes it can last for months or years. You should seek advice from your doctor if in doubt.

However, if you have recent serious trauma or injury to your face, then the pain at TMJ could be due to fracture of the bone or dislocation. In this case, you should see your doctor for a scan.

Other reasons that can cause pain around the TMJ include:

• Toothache or tooth abscess - in this case the pain is usually persistent and accompanied by swelling around the area or fever. The pain may be worse when you knock on the problematic tooth. See a dentist if you suspect this.

• Ear infection - pain is usually persistent and may be aggravated by moving the jaw, as the external canal and middle ear are just next to the TMJ. Associated symptoms include ear discharge, hearing loss and tinnitus (ringing sound). A check into the ear by your doctor can confirm this.

• Headache - headache can cause pain around the TMJ area, but usually you will have pain at other area of the head too.

• Trigeminal neuralgia - this nerve disorder can cause severe pain that mostly originate from the jaw area and radiate towards your forehead, nose and chin. Touching the face may make the pain worse.

Of course there are other causes of jaw pain which are not mentioned here. You should consult your doctor if you think that the jaw pain is not a pure TMJ disorder.