While there are several reasons a patient can experience sudden or severe jaw pain, inflammation and overworked muscles tend to be the most common causes of TMJ flare-ups. Many physical changes and lifestyle habits can contribute to swelling around the joint and muscle tension.
Chewing gum and crunching ice can trigger a flare up, along with eating hard or chewy foods that strain the TMJ, such as bagels, whole apples, gummy candies, and nuts.
Remember that for most people, discomfort from TMJ disorders will eventually go away on its own. Simple self-care practices are often effective in easing symptoms. If treatment is needed, it should be based on a reasonable diagnosis, be conservative and reversible, and be customized to your special needs.
Other Causes of Jaw and Facial Pain: Certain other conditions including facial trauma, an abscessed tooth, or herpes zoster (shingles) can also cause pain similar to symptoms of TMJ disorder.
Chronic sinus pain and sinus infections can also produce pain around the temples that can feel like TMJ disorder. An infection is typically accompanied by a fever and discharge; chronic sinus issues may be caused by allergies or structural problems within the sinuses.
muscle spasms that may include eye, cheek or neck twitching; facial swelling around the TMJ; tightness in the jaw, which can limit your range of motion or manifest itself as lock jaw where your jaw is unable to move until the joint is realigned by a professional.
TMJ can flare up at any time, and the condition can commonly last between two days and a few weeks. Consuming soft foods and applying cool or hot packs to your facial area can help to relieve pain but are not a permanent fix.
Although leaving your TMJ untreated is not life-threatening, it can lead to high levels of discomfort, tension, and chronic pain. And these can greatly interfere with your quality of life.
The good news is that most TMJ symptoms will clear up in no more than three weeks typically. However, certain TMJ conditions, especially those brought about by arthritis or bruxism, can last months or years, depending on the severity of the underlying condition.
Stress & Anxiety Can Lead to TMJ Disorder
Dr. Meyer explains that temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) can develop over time. This is as a result of restless, stress-induced sleep where you are grinding your teeth and jaw clenching unconsciously.
TMJ is worse at night because that's when you're prone to grind your teeth and clench your jaw.
The truth is: it's both. TMJ is a complex problem that can have a lot of different root causes and can be part of the medical realm or the dental realm. The ideal situation is when both doctors are working in tandem, giving you the best holistic care possible that makes use of both their specialities.
Jaw Joint Stretch
Press your tongue against the roof of your mouth, behind your teeth. Then use your tongue to push your top teeth forward and, while doing that, slowly open your mouth, stretching those tight jaw muscles. Stop doing this when you feel pain. You can repeat this ten times.
Minor TMJ discomfort will usually go away without treatment. However, anyone with the following TMJ symptoms should consider an evaluation to prevent or avoid future issues: Constant or repeated episodes of pain or tenderness at the TMJ or in and around the ear. Discomfort or pain while chewing.
However, this is not an irreversible condition, and with proper treatment, one may be able to cure TMJ pain permanently. For starters, you must stop any habits of teeth grinding or clenching, and anything that puts pressure on the joint.
TMJ can affect brain function. Research has shown that TMJ can change brain activity and cognitive function, particularly in areas of the brain responsible for pain processing, decision-making, and working memory.
Many people experience TMJ symptoms, but tend to get them on just one side. They often ask us if it's possible to develop temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) on one side. The answer is: yes, but it's usually not just that side that's affected.
Things that make TMJ dysfunction worse
Poor posture. (This can place excess pressure on your neck, shoulder and facial muscles.) Chewing on pens, pencils or other items (a common “nervous habit” behavior). Chewing on ice or excessively chewing gum.
Using a cold compress or ice pack on a strained jaw muscle can also numb pain in the area. On the other hand, heat can make jaw inflammation significantly worse.
Red flag symptoms and signs
Persistent and worsening pain. Jaw pain in people taking bisphosphonates (or other medicines where osteonecrosis is known to be an adverse effect). Concurrent infection. History of recent head or neck trauma.
Laying on your side with a hand under your pillow can also exacerbate the symptoms of TMD. This damaging sleep position creates a misalignment for your head and neck, making TMJ pain very likely. The best sleep position for TMD is sleeping on your back in order to keep your head and neck properly aligned.
Your dentist will listen for noises and feel your jaw when it's in motion. The practitioner will assess your range of motion and identify areas where you have discomfort or pain. Additionally, a dental practitioner may recommend an X-ray of your jaw and teeth.