TMJ: What Is It?
TMJ is the common abbreviation for disorders of the temporomandibular joint, which is quite a mouthful…pun intended since the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is responsible for opening and closing the mouth. It connects the lower jaw, called the mandible, to the temporal bone, which is found on the sides of your head. To find your TMJ, place your fingers just in front of your ears and open and close your mouth.
Dysfunction of this joint can cause pain in the actual joint and/or the muscles that control jaw movements like eating and talking. Over 10 million Americans suffer from TMJ. For most, symptoms would include limited jaw opening and tenderness around the joint, pain when chewing, jaw muscle stiffness, and possible catching or locking of the jaw. There may also be a clicking sound, but a clicking noise by itself is generally not an indicator of TMJ, unless accompanied by pain. TMJ can affect one or both joints.
In some cases, trauma to the jaw or the actual joint may be the underlying cause, but for most the exact cause is not quite that clear. Malocclusion (imperfect positioning of the teeth when your mouth is closed) hypermobility in the TMJ, postural dysfunction (the most common would be a forward head position) and/or spams or trigger points in the muscles of mastication (the muscles you use for chewing) are all factors for TMJ. The muscles that move the jaw can suffer from overuse just like any other muscle in your body, so habits like chewing gum, favoring one side of your mouth while chewing, or wearing a mouthpiece or mouthguard can all contribute. Stress can play a significant part, too, if you have a tendency to clench your jaw or grind your teeth. It is not unusual that people who suffer from TMJ to also have chronic tension in the muscles of the neck and shoulders.
If you feel you may suffer from TMJ, see your doctor to be properly diagnosed. Massage therapy, especially relaxation, trigger point therapy, and focused work on the muscles that open and close the jaw is very effective for treating TMJ. If you choose massage as part of your treatment plan, the therapist you work with should be specifically trained to work on TMJ. You can expect to have your neck, upper back, scalp, and the external muscles of the jaw worked on, plus intra-oral work on the aspect of the jaw muscles that are not accessible from the outside. The intra-oral work generally gives great relief to people suffering from TMJ.
Sylvia Mueller
Massage Therapist