TMJ Disorder Symptoms: Jaw Popping and Effective Management Strategies
Health Conditions That Might Coexist with TMJ Disorders
Researchers have found that 85% of patients with TMJ Disorders experience debilitating symptoms in other areas of the body. These comorbidities include:
- Allergies
- Cardiac arrhythmias
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Chronic headaches – migraine & tension headaches
- Dizziness
- Ear pain & tinnitus (ear ringing)
- Endometriosis
- Fibromyalgia
- Generalized pain conditions
- Interstitial cystitis
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Sleep disorders or disturbances
- Vulvodynia
How Can My Dentist Help with My Migraines or Tension Headaches?
Headaches are one of the most common symptoms of TMJ Disorders. A TMJ headache is a type of tension headache. It is typically felt as pain around the eyes or as a migraine headache. TMJ-related issues like clenching and grinding the teeth often lead to discomfort in the head muscles, resulting in headaches. Addressing your TMD can help alleviate your headaches.
How Is Ear Pain Related to TMJ?
Half of the patients with TMJ complain of ear pain. This ear pain is linked to jaw misalignment caused by factors such as clenching teeth due to stress, dental surgery, or trauma from an accident.
Are There Any Health Conditions with Similar Symptoms as TMD?
TMJ syndrome can cause symptoms in the head, neck, and face, making it hard to distinguish from other disorders. Conditions with similar symptoms include:
- Atypical (vascular) neuralgia
- Hypo- and hyperkinesia (abnormal jaw movements)
- Giant cell arteritis
- Lyme disease
- Myositis (muscle inflammation)
- Myositis ossificans (muscle calcification)
- Otitis (earache)
- Parotitis (salivary gland inflammation)
- Scleroderma (chronic skin hardening)
- Sinusitis
- Temporal arteritis (inflammation of the temporal artery)
- Toothache
- Trigeminal neuralgia
- Trotter’s syndrome (nasopharyngeal carcinoma)