Does Your Face Hurt?
Do you experience face or jaw pain, tightness, or restricted mouth opening? How about noises such as popping or clicking when opening or closing your mouth? Maybe you experience ear pain, dizziness, or headaches? These may be symptoms of a temporomandibular disorder (TMD). Temporomandibular disorders are a group of disorders that affect the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) or chewing muscles. These disorders are more common than you may think, affecting 5-12% of the population. In fact, TMD is second only to low back pain when it comes to musculoskeletal conditions resulting in pain and disability. Despite the number of people with TMD, only 50-66% seek treatment.
Jaw Pain? What You Need to Know about TMD
The temporomandibular joint is the joint where your jaw attaches to the temple of the skull. It is a hinge joint that allows you to move your jaw up and down, and side to side. This joint is essential for guiding mandibular motion such as chewing, swallowing and speaking.
