TMJ is a common health problem that affects areas such as the head, neck, shoulders, jaw, and back. It is accompanied by pain and discomfort in the jaw. TMJ is basically caused by inflammation in the jaw, which eventually causes a TMJ symptom that you may or may not notice.
Some patients do not feel any symptoms of their TMJ condition at all. However, it’s important to find treatment right away, as TMJ doesn’t just affect the jaw.
TMJ symptoms
One of the first things you may notice when you have TMJ is a particular pain in your facial muscles or jaw when you wake up in the morning. You may find it difficult to open and close your mouth or bite correctly. These conditions make it especially difficult for you to chew or eat certain types of food. TMJ can also affect speech to some degree, as the jaw tends to lock or experience too much tension.
You may notice that along with the decline in physical function, there are sounds you may hear in your jaw, such as clicking and popping. Grinding sounds can also occur when you start to grind your teeth to find a good bite. The grinding can happen at night when you’re sleeping, so if your roommate or partner tells you about it the next day, you may have the condition.
visible symptoms
Visible symptoms would include the jaw protruding from the patient’s face. If you need to physically pull your jaw back toward your ears just to get a comfortable bite, you may have a TMJ symptom. When you have TMJ, your body reflects by using your chewing muscles to pull your jaw forward.
If the case worsens, your head may begin to tilt forward as the anterior neck muscles gradually stretch. This can give you poor posture in general.
The most obvious sign and symptom of TMJ is if the areas around the mouth become red and swollen. Another obvious sign is having an unbalanced position of the lips and a prominent facial crease under the chin.
Symptoms of other conditions
The problem with TMJ is that it can cause other conditions. Symptoms can be experienced in related conditions such as headaches and ringing in the ears, as the head and ears are one of the closest parts of the body to the affected jaw. You may constantly feel dizzy or develop sleep disturbances due to the discomfort.
The TMJ symptom can cause back pain and even difficulty swallowing/breathing. You may also develop cervical problems including pain and discomfort in the cervix, as a TMJ pain can gradually find itself under the head and neck.
