On a recent flight from New York to London, I overheard the lady across the aisle from me telling her husband that her TMJ was acting up and she was going to need a sip of water so that she could take some aspirin.
As soon as the flight attendant arrived, this woman that was overcome with pain began to tell a rather long story about the anguish she had been experiencing since she developed TMJ and how it always got worse when she was flying.
I resisted the temptation to let her know that we all have TMJ, which actually stands for the temporomandibular joint, a unique joint on either side of our jaw formed by the union of our temporal bone (skull) and the mandible (lower jaw).
The actual pain that is encountered when our TMJ malfunctions is known as TMD, or temporomandibular joint disorder (or dysfunction).
Acting as a “shock absorber” so to speak, the TMJ allows movement forward and backward, side to side and up and down. When the muscles, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels, and other tissues associated with them become stressed or inflamed, TMD can be the result.
This can cause an assortment of ailments including headaches, neck aches, back aches, swelling of the face, jaw pain, and an inability to chew or swallow without some degree of pain.
It isn’t clearly understood why TMD affects women in much larger numbers than men, but there are a number of studies which suggest that the frequent relief brought on by pregnancy is an indication that TMD is affected by hormonal changes in the body.
Again I resist commenting to my aisle mate, as I’m almost certain she’d rather take her aspirin in lieu of getting pregnant. On the other hand, we do have a rather long flight ahead of us.
Now I’m not suggesting that morning sickness, labor, delivery, child rearing and college tuition are worth the nine months of relief that one might enjoy away from TMD, but many experience such severe pain that pregnancy might be a welcome alternative. For men who suffer, along with those beyond the childbearing years, arthritis medications may offer some relief.
Some report that ice or heat packs have been found to give the temporary relief that they seek. But for the most severe cases, when opening the mouth has become too painful to endure, surgery is often recommended.
Before resorting to such extreme measures, it would be prudent to note that many find relief by eating soft foods, avoiding chewing gum, beef jerky or jawbreakers.
Resist yawning and singing and remember that any extreme movement such as chewing ice or holding the phone between your shoulder and your jaw should also be avoided.
Above all else, don’t overlook the possibility that simple stress could be the lone culprit in this misery we call TMD. Along with stress, many experience jaw clenching, teeth grinding and poor posture.
These are all believed by many to be at the root of many TMD problems. So before you opt for surgery OR pregnancy, sit up straight, take a deep breath, spit out your gum and just relax.
An even better source for relief can be found in my program “TMJ No More”, an all-natural alternative to traditional therapies. Learn how just a few simple facial exercises done each day can eliminate your TMJ pain for good!
Warm regards,
Christian Goodman
