I was recently at a friend’s house who likes to occasionally indulge in sweets – specifically, chocolate. He was excited because he recently discovered that eating a Snickers bar after it’s been in the freezer is even more enjoyable than a Snickers bar at room temperature.
He mentioned that his wife doesn’t love this new discovery since she suffers from Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) syndrome. Apparently, the cold of the candy affected her condition. Becoming interested, I continued to ask my friend questions about her condition and symptoms she was experiencing.
Many of the symptoms my friend’s wife experienced with TMJ disorders were ones I expected, given that I have already performed massive research on the condition in order to create my TMJ program. A few of her symptoms and triggers though, were surprising.
TMJ actually refers to the temporomandibular joint. Many people mistakenly refer to TMJ itself as a disorder, however, TMJ syndrome, and TMJ disorders are synonymous terms which describe disorders of this joint.
The TM J is extremely important because it allows us to eat (chew), talk and yawn. It is made up of blood vessels, muscles, nerves and bones. TMJs are located on each side of the face, in front of the ears. The TMJ is what connects the jawbone to the skull.
This joint can be felt if you place your finger in front of your ear and then open and close your mouth. The jawbone has two movements – opening and closing the mouth or acting as a hinge and a gliding action which allows the mouth to open wide.
A disorder is caused when the joint becomes eroded and it slides out of its alignment. Certain medical conditions like arthritis can damage the cartilage which helps make up the joint. An injury or trauma to the joint can also cause the disorder.
Sometimes, the condition can be caused from overusing the joint. This is why when your dentist tells you it’s not healthy to grind or clench your teeth, he or she is not just referring to eroding your teeth, but also causing a TMJ disorder. Some people are born with the condition due to improper development of the joint.
Triggers include grinding or clenching your teeth repeatedly (mentioned above), posture (many of us lean forward when staring at the computer), direct exposure to air-conditioning on the face, eating cold foods or cold drinks, lack of sleep and stress.
Women are more likely to suffer from TMJ than men and the condition affects 5-15% of the population, although experts in the disorder argue that many cases go undiagnosed so the number is likely higher.
Symptoms include: Pain or tenderness of the jaw, pain in the face (40% of sufferers complain of this), difficulty opening and closing the mouth, headache (80% of sufferers complain of this), uneven bite, difficulty and/or pain in chewing, earache or pain around the ear, and neck pain. Some sufferers even experience a clicking sound when they open their mouth, although a clicking sound unaccompanied by pain my not necessarily indicate TMJ disorder.
The great news though is that in MOST cases, surgery is not required. If you know the cause of your TMJ disorder is from habitually grinding your teeth (most of us do it in our sleep and don’t know it), your dentist can take a mold of your teeth and create what is known as a bite guard – a plastic mouthpiece designed specifically for your mouth, which keeps the teeth from coming into contact and grinding.
In my friend’s wife’s case, though, extremely cold food or drink or direct exposure to the air-conditioning in car rides was the trigger (the cold temperature increases muscle contraction). I suggested she try my TMJ program. The results were “immediate and wonderful” for my friend’s wife.
In fact I’ve received incredible reviews of my TMJ program, many of which indicated that they tried repeated products and treatment methods and were only trying my program as a last ditch effort to avoid surgery. If you are one of these people, or you simply prefer an all natural program, please give mine a try! I also strongly recommend my Natural Migraine and Headache Program.
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