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TMJ / TMD
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What is the Temporomandibular Joint?
The Temporomandibular Joint is the hinge that secures the jaw bone to the skull. This is the structure that allows the incredible freedom of movement allowed by our bottom jaw. It is a multidirectional joint allowing front to back, side to side, and up and down motion simultaneously. This is a strong joint and is vital in facilitating the abilities of eating and speaking.TMD Symptoms
Pain in the jaw and facial muscles are the most common symptoms of TMD syndrome. A popping or clicking sound is also common when moving the jaw. Sometimes the jaw can lock in position momentarily, which can be a scary experience for the patient. Other occasional symptoms include headaches, dental pain and numbness in the facial area.TMJ Disorder Treatment
It is rare for the physical structures of this joint to wear out, but it is possible. These physical cases of TMD are easily and successfully treated with either medication or surgery. The most common cause of this syndrome is some psychosomatic condition relating to unresolved emotional issues. This type of TMJ problem is a result of oxygen deprivation to the affected joint, causing actual physical dysfunction.Another type of psychosomatic pain often confused with traditional TMD is Myofascial Pain Dysfunction or MPD. This type of facial pain is also caused by stress and is usually the product of a clenched jaw or grinding of the teeth while sleeping. Some patients have such severe conditions of MPD that they actually clench or grind all day without even realizing their actions.
Recommendation on TMJ
I know a few people that reported some painless clicking in the jaw to their dentists. They were referred to a specialist and diagnosed with TMD, despite having no pain. Well, the majority DID develop pain after suffering the nocebo effect of this scary sounding diagnosis. Some were treated surgically, but the majority still have jaw pain. These patients are familiar to me since they also experience severe back pain. I know from my own experience that temporomandibular joint dysfunction is a common substitute symptom for psychological back pain.The patients that have experienced both back pain and TMD have often beaten both using knowledge therapy. If the TMD was actually caused by some physical defect, the back pain would be gone, but the TMD still there. The fact that both disappeared proves the link between both conditions and some maladapted psychological process. If you are suffering from TMJ disorder, check out knowledge therapy before consenting to some surgical or pharmaceutical treatment. If it does not work for you, there are still the medical methods available, with no harm done. However, statistics show that most TMJ pain is related to a psychosomatic cause. No sense fighting a psychological battle using a physical treatment. You have to identify the correct cause in order to expect relief.
