Temporomandibular dysfunction is an exceedingly painful condition of the jaw that can affect almost any person. The joint in question is located in front of the canal of the ear and it connects the jaw bone to the skull.
People suffering from this condition are generally unable to open their jaws very wide and they also experience a lot of pain when trying to open their mouth or even speak.
People suffering from dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint generally start to panic, resulting in the worsening of their condition.
There is very little understanding about what exactly causes temporomandibular dysfunction. In fact, problems of the temporomandibular (TMJ) joint generally have multifactorial causes in that they rarely happen because of one reason only.
The different causes of temporomandibular dysfunction include:
• Putting extreme pressure on the jaws, such as when the jaw is clenched a lot. The most common reason for this type of pressure is the clenching of jaws while asleep.
Also called bruxism, this problem is often caused by stress. Pressure on the jaws can also be caused by excessively chewing gum.
• Wearing away of the cartilage part of the joint on account of excess use or age.
• Arthritis which generally affects knees and fingers but which can also spread to the jaw joint. Both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis can affect the jaw joint.
• Injury or physical trauma to the jaw area; this is very often a complaint made by people who take part in contact sports.
This can also happen as a result of automobile accidents resulting in injuries to the face.
• Slipping of the disc that hinges the lower jaw to the skull, brought upon by opening the mouth too fast or wide.
• Abnormalities of the jaw whereby it does not have proper alignment when opening and closing. Some of these abnormalities are congenital in origin.
• Looseness of the jaw brought about by the stretching of the ligaments that hold the joint in place. This mostly happens on account of aging.
While temporomandibular dysfunction can cause problems, this condition generally responds very well to various treatment methods.
As a matter of fact, people can choose from various treatments to get maximum relief from their pain. The main reason is that doctors are often unable to determine which cause of the pain is more significant than the others.
Since a combination of anatomical problems and tension in the muscles is what generally causes the problem, all causes should be explored.
There are many causes of painful TMJ dysfunction. Many people use acupuncture for TMJ treatment whenever its use is justified.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rizvana_Manzoor
No comments:
Post a Comment