Temporomandibular Lockjaw - 6 Main Treatment Methods

Temporomandibular lockjaw is a condition of the jaw joint or its surrounding muscles whereby the person's jaw gets locked in an open and shut condition, often with various degrees of pain and swelling in the area. 

This condition is not threatening to life (and should not be confused with tetanus lockjaw which is very often lethal if untreated) but it can result in a great deal of pain and inconvenience to the person concerned. 

In fact, the pain can spread to the neck and shoulders as well. Since there are usually multiple causes for temporomandibular lockjaw, it is not possible (or advisable) to restrict the treatment method to a single one. The most popular treatment methods for TMJ lockjaw are as follows:

1. Changes in lifestyle to avoid putting pressure on the joint

- Eating soft food and completely avoiding hard food and chewing gum.

- Avoiding clenching the jaws. If the problem happens at night, as is very often the case, then custom made mouth guards will be very helpful.

- Improving posture in order to hold the chin, head, shoulders and neck correctly

2. Physical therapy in order to reduce tension and inflammation in the joint. This includes massage which helps to improve blood circulation and reduce pain in the jaw joint. 

It is best to hold a warm pack to the affected area since this helps to relax the muscles for massage.

3. Physiotherapy sessions including manual therapy, ultrasound and TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) treatment.

4. Consumption of over the counter painkilling medications containing paracetamol and codeine if the pain becomes difficult to handle and immediate relief is required.

5. Steroids injected into the jaw joint. This is only effective if the lockjaw is caused because of arthritis which is an inflammatory condition that affects the joints.

6. Surgery, when other treatment methods are not effective. The various surgical options range from arthrocentesis (the flushing out of tiny foreign particles from the jaw cavity) to arthroscopy (the surgical removal of any diseased tissue or even realignment of the jaw. 

Open joint surgery is done in case the damage is extensive. Joint replacement surgery is called for in case the area is damaged beyond repair.

Since surgical treatments for temporomandibular lockjaw are costly and also involve lengthy recovery periods, it is best to use this option only if you have fully explored all other treatment methods including a dental visit to rule out dental misalignment as a cause.

TMJ lockjaw is not just painful but can also restrict your ability to eat or talk. Find out about different treatment methods for TMJ disc displacement.

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Temporomandibular Exercises To Enable Jaw Function

Disorders of the jaw joint and its surrounding muscles can make life really difficult for you. Not only are temporomandibular problems very painful but they can severely restrict your ability to talk or eat. 

Thankfully, there are certain temporomandibular exercises that you could do in order to get relief from this debilitating condition. 

The purpose of these exercises is to relax the muscles and increase the range of the joint's motion over a period of time. Some of the most useful temporomandibular exercises focus on resistance training by:

1. Placing the thumb under the chin and lowering the jaw gradually against light pressure provided by the thumb. The mouth should be kept open for around 5 seconds and then closed gradually. The exercise should be repeated 6 times.

2. Place your palm on the side of your face with the heel of your palm on your chin. Gently push against your jaw while simultaneously pushing back against the palm. Repeat the exercise on the other side of the face.

3. Place the tips of your fingers on your bottom teeth and push down gently. The jaw should also push up gently.

4. Open your mouth slightly and use your palm to push your chin towards you (and not downwards).

Once you are able to develop jaw strength and mobility using these exercises, you should also do the following:

• Open and shut your mouth slowly whilst holding your tongue close to the roof of the mouth.

• Hold a small object no more than 1/2-inch thickness (a pencil is perfect) between your teeth and move your jaw gently from one side to the other. Once you are able to do this easily you should use a thicker object between your teeth.

• Do the same exercise mentioned above by moving your jaw forward and backward.

Be sure to do these temporomandibular exercises regularly, repeating them every few hours is ideal if the problem is severe. 

Never make sudden movements or exercise a lot of force on the jaw because this could result in worsening of the situation. As a matter of fact, you should stop the exercise as soon as you feel that the pain is increasing. 

It is also a good idea to apply a warm towel to the jaw just before the exercise in order to relax the muscles and enable extra mobility. 

Over time you will regain the use of your jaw to a great extent without requiring medical intervention.

TMJ exercises are very effective to improve jaw function and reduce pain. Click here to get plenty of useful TMJ e-medicine information.

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Temporomandibular Dysfunction - Understand Its Causes

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.

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