What is TMJ/TMD?
TMJ stands for Temporomandibular joint. These two joints (left & right) connect the human skull by the temporal bone with the lower jaw (mandible). A misaligned joint and/or muscle spasms is what leads millions of people to suffer from chronic facial pain & headaches that can lead on for days at a time.
TMD stands for Temporomandibular joint dysfunction. TMD extends the definition of TMJ to further define that there is a dysfunction at one or both of the TMJ’s.
Symptoms
Symptoms of TMD are multiple and can be in any combination:
- Headaches/mornings, day, night
- Jaw pain
- Facial pain
- Muscle tightness
- Pain when eating
- Noises at the joint (clicking, popping, crackling)
- Limitation to open or close
- Limited side to side movement
- Bite feels different/ “off”
- Tinnitus (ringing or wavelike sounds)
- Neck pain
- Shoulder pain
- Back pain
