Pain in the Jaw or head or neck?
Have you ever bitten down on something hard and felt your jaw grind with pain? Or yawned and felt a loud pop near your ear? You may have felt a disturbance to one of your two temporomandibular joints or TMJ. Maybe you know someone with TMJ problems?
Did You Know that TMD or temporomandibular disorders is the medical term for conditions that involve muscles of the jaw, temporomandibular joints, and nerves associated with facial pain? TMJ only refers to the joint of the jaw bone with the skull. TMD involves more that just the jaw and often presents as headache or neck pain. TMD is one of the most common chronic orofacial pain conditions and accounts for 40% of all chronic musculoskeletal pain problems resulting in pain and disability, ranking second after chronic low back pain.
Some of the signs and symptoms of TMD include :
Jaw discomfort
Headaches
Pain at the face, shoulder, neck and/or back
Clicking/popping of the jaw
Limited mouth motions
Clenching or grinding of the teeth
Dizziness
About 12% (39 million) of the general population experience signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) with only 5 - 10% of this population seeking treatment. The following questions can help you determine if you have an issue with your TMJ or a TMD.
1. In the last 30 days, which of the following best describes any pain in your jaw or temple area on either side?
No pain
Pain comes and goes
Pain is always present
2. In the last 30 days, have you had pain or stiffness in your jaw on awakening?
No
Yes
3. In the last 30 days, did the following activities change any pain (that is, make it better or make it worse) in your jaw or temple area on either side?
A. Chewing hard or tough food
No
Yes
B. Opening your mouth or moving your jaw forward or to the side
No
Yes
C. Jaw habits such as holding teeth together, clenching/grinding, or chewing gum
No
Yes
D. Other jaw activities such as talking, kissing, or yawning
No
Yes
If you answered yes to 3 or more of the above-mentioned questions, you may benefit from Physical Therapy with a Certified Cervical and Temporomandibular Therapist.
Dominique Forté PT, DPT, COMT, CCTT is a Physical Therapist and founder of Empower Physiotherapy, offering specialized treatment for patients with headaches, jaw pain/stiffness, neck pain, and other orthopedic conditions. She offers sessions in office or in a place of your choice (home, office, gym).
References:
Kraus SL. Characteristics of 511 patients with temporomandibular disorders referred for physical therapy. Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology and Oral Radiology. 118(4): 432-439, 2014.
Temporomandibular disorder (TMD). JHM. (2021, August 8). https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/temporomandibular-disorder-tmd
van der Meer, Hedwig A., et al. “Validation of the Temporomandibular Disorder Pain Screener in a Specialized Headache Center.” Journal of Oral & Facial Pain and Headache, vol. 35, no. 2, 2021, pp. 150–56, https://doi.org/10.11607/ofph.2787.