Have you ever dealt with jaw pain? Now imagine living with the same pain 365 days a year. Does it sound like something you wish for yourself?
The chronic pain of Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMD) can be life-altering. It can turn your carefree life into one that’s full of pain, stress, and worry. People with this health concern often struggle to lead a normal life as their daily functions like eating, swallowing, talking, and even sleeping are painful. The constant jaw pain, headaches, and muscle tension due to TMD can make one cranky.
Let’s dive deep into this blog to explore how TMD affects daily life and find solutions to lead a life free from pain:
What Is TMD and How Does It Start?
If your temporomandibular joint (TMJ) doesn’t function right, you might have TMD. This joint is the connecting path between your jaw and skull. Teeth grinding, chronic stress, arthritis, jaw misalignment, or injury can lead to hindrance of the harmonious performance of this joint muscle. As your joint muscles stop performing their best, inflammation, pain, and restricted jaw movement might become part and parcel of your life. You might experience disturbed sleep, impaired speech, and pain during swallowing or chewing.
Common Symptoms of TMD
Are you worried about silently dealing with TMD? Do you want to know the symptoms to easily identify them? Here they’re:
- Jaw pain or jaw stiffness
- Clicking or popping sounds when chewing
- Headaches or migraines
- Shoulder, neck, and ear pain
- Dizziness
- Difficulty opening or closing the mouth fully
How Does TMD Impact Daily Life?
Living with TMD is a challenge that can make life exasperating. Let’s find out how this concern can influence various aspects of life:
- Eating: Mealtimes can be dreadful if you constantly struggle with pain while chewing or biting.
- Sleeping: Jaw discomfort throughout the night can lead to poor sleep quality.
- Conversations: People can avoid speaking with TMD. Long conversations might worsen jaw fatigue.
- Work Productivity: The side effect of TMD, persistent headaches might reduce the ability to focus for a long period and lower your work efficiency.
Best Solutions for TMD
Managing TMD often begins with addressing the underlying causes behind this. Your TMD treatment plan might be a combination of:
- Lifestyle Adjustments: Reducing stress, sleeping on your back, gentle jaw stretches, and following a soft diet can minimize TMD flare-ups.
- Heat Therapy: Similar to other pain responses, applying heat on or around the jaw can help loosen muscles, and relieve spasms.
- Oral Appliances: Mouthguards are one of the best tools to lower TMD pain, restore normal jaw function, and improve sleep quality as they help prevent teeth grinding. Teeth clenching is known to trigger TMD pain.
If jaw pain persists or symptoms disrupt daily life, consult our licensed dental team in San Antonio. Waiting too long can worsen the condition and limit your TMD treatment options. Early diagnosis of TMD ensures quick relief from this nagging pain.
Reach out to our office and schedule a consultation with us.