TMJ and TMD: Symptoms, Relief and Self-Care

Diana Hearn, PT, DPT, OCS, leader for the Musculoskeletal team and Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD) Program at Penn Therapy & Fitness, shares tips on relief and self-care for Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) pain and TMD.

The TMJ connects the temple bone of the skull to the lower jaw bone. TMD is a condition that can cause pain and dysfunction in the jaw joint, the muscles that control the jaw or both.

Signs and symptoms of TMD include:
•Painful clicking or grating in your jaw
•Painful locking or clenching of your jaw
•Pain while talking, chewing or opening your mouth wide
•Headaches and neck pain
•Pain, ringing or fullness in your ears

Hearn suggests the following things to avoid:
•Opening your mouth forcefully, such as while yawning or yelling
•Crunchy or hard foods
•Taking large bites of food
•Foods that require prolonged chewing
•Chewing gum

You also should take notice of habits, such as biting your nails, chewing your cheeks or lips, resting your jaw on your hand, or clenching and grinding your teeth.

Hearn shares best practices for TMD pain relief and teaches how maintaining your jaw position, correcting your posture, exercising and getting a good night’s sleep can help you relieve TMJ pain.

#PennMedicine #TMJ #TMD

[base-dx]

I have tmj and I feel like this pain is never going to go away 😞

[kylagrace]

Me being a senior in highschool and apparently having this... also a choir student. I just found out today yes I have been crying all day thank you🥺

[queennef]

I had all the symptoms and was up late at night in so much pain the general self care reallyyy helped Thank you!!

[jennyfulcher]

Very good tips, thank you! I saw my dentist this morning who performed x-rays as well as tapped and examined my teeth, which showed no sign of infection. He referred me to a TMJ PT, and I've scheduled an appointment with one Friday morning (it's Wednesday late afternoon). I've taken painkiller, applied warm compress, and am currently eating soft foods. I've had mild TMJ for years, with occasional flares. Jenny Seattle, WA

[lucreziamorganti]

Everyone who suffers from Tmd: you should check if you have a TONGUE TIE first and get it released, that’s often the root cause other than posture. Lots of people have resolved chronic pain and issues just from getting the tongue released and doing mouth and body posture exercises along with tmj exercises

[larrybraham]

I appreciate your information. I have finally acknowledged that I have a problem after 27 years of having my jaw pop and go through pain that I mask with alcohol. I will address this with my physician. I know I'm not very smart for bringing it up earlier but I was raised to suck it up but now that I'm older I feel I can say something. Cheers 🍻

[NicoEnVegas]

This, although insightful isn’t a long term realistic approach. It’s nearly impossible to live life if you follow everything that was said, plus the sleeping aspects you would need to be restrained practically to ensure that you don’t move. She is clearly reading the same general description that is all over the internet for TMD. Not trying to bad mouth her but I’m not a doctor but please consider what I’ve written below as a possible approach for you if you’re suffering from this.

I have had severe TMD my entire life (almost 40 now), have been grinding my teeth in my sleep as well since I was a child. Prior to knowing about my TMD condition I kept going to my primary care doctor complaining about different pains, neck, chest, shoulders, headaches etc. I knew about the grinding in my sleep and always attributed the jaw pain to that.

My doctor kept sending me away and eventually said he thought i may be a hypochondriac and to consider mental health treatment. Finally I went one day for something totally separate and he was in shock and said he noticed something. He asked me to slowly open my mouth and said I’m sorry you’re not crazy, I think you have TMD.

I was referred to a neurologist at UCSF. She did some tests and explained that our jaw muscles have the strength to crush our skull/face but our brain prevents it. Apparently I had one of the worst cases she had ever seen, i had crushed and broken a bunch if teeth etc.

Anyway basically what she said is the synapses in our brain that fire to the maxillary and face muscles DONT turn off thus put our face neck in a constant state of exercise and tension. It can be so slight you may not notice it. Because it is actually a brain issue no amount of soft food, not singing, hot tea or meditation will help. There are only two true known treatments for this that I’m aware of. One is a surgery where they break the jaw and attempt to realign it, over time the constant exercise of the jaw due to the brain can cause misalignment so breaking it and realignment can help with the pain….but it’s not permanent and only successful 50% of the time.

The second treatment is the one I tried. It changed my life. The neurologist injects 20 shots of botox along the jawline around the skull and the back of the neck. Botox makes muscles atrophy and non responsive (why celebrities use it for wrinkles) it basically prevents the muscles from constantly reacting to the synapses your brain is sending. You can still function normally with this treatment and let me tell you it changed my life. You’ll have to go typically every 3 months for a round of shots but it’s covered by insurance if you have it. I swear it is the best and only treatment that works if you have a bad case of this. You may have to ask around or explain to your primary care in depth about the treatment. I had moved and found my new doctors were unaware of the treatment until I mentioned it and they did research. Give it a shot, probably the longest comment I’ve ever written but I hope it helps you, I know what this pain is like.

[ayushdaas]

🙏Whenever there is a problem with TMJ or mouth opening, chewing food, you would like to tell you from experience that while eating food, keep equal amount of food on both sides of the tooth inside the mouth and chew it slowly or eat soft food, hard things like Do not use copra, gram, brackish etc., exercise the mouth daily before going to sleep at night and after waking up in the morning and keep taking protein and calcium in the diet and be happy.🙂

[HPkY]

I had TMJ surgery where they cut both jaws and moved them.... 26 years later and I think I have it again....except back when I had the surgery I had no pains but amazing insurance so that's why we did this as a preventative. I don't have that kind of amazing insurance any longer and never will have it again. I'm a little too frightened to have it confirmed I have TMJ as I don't have the funds these days to afford another lengthy surgery.

[avalonjustin]

I had pain in my left ear from this. Went to a ENT and he diagnosed me. His advice helped!

[dnuk]

I just started getting TMD last week it was way worst than it is now ..I think it’s do to my jaw being shifted for loosing teeth over the years in the past I was homeless and on the streets and barley went to a dentist and teeth would get bad they started to come out on there own now I’m back in my feet with a roof over my head but this jaw thing is so aggravating I hope these tips help thanks

[jeannes.]

I have tmj. I strongly suggest never chewing gum and when you eat anything large (apple, hamburger, sandwich) just cut it up and eat it with a fork and knife.

[EmbraceWithin]

Thank you lady, hopefully this will help, I am in much suffering right now

[paolomayuga]

My jaw is popping and clicking, and I always have head ache sometimes stiff neck. I wish it will get better

[ZStormGLD]

omg the posture itself helps relief my aches even my sinus, thanks.

[chloezuo]

I have a deep bite and had one of my molars pulled last year. Since then I got TMD, it's clicking and locking when I open my mouth and talk. Now I'm seeing the dentist and preparing to have Invisalign adjusting my bite. Hope my TMD will be repaired.😌😌

[deepzepp]

Not wishing to scare anyone who's experiencing TMJ - But I suffered with TMJ for years. I had two bad teeth with cavities, that my dentist at the time said best leave, as they are very hard to remove. I continued on for a few years, then I the pain through my jaw and teeth was unbearable and chronic, and would cause unbelievably painful headaches, and my jaw and teeth would be in agony. I then went partially deaf in my right ear - the side where a majority of the pain was coming from - I went to the hospital, they tested my hearing which they said was fine. The doctor told me I may have TMJ and should see my dentist. To cut a long story short, I was eventually was diagnosed with a brain tumour after I collapsed and had a seizure. Basically the pressure of the tumour was causing the pain and my jaw to be misaligned. As soon as they put me on steroids to reduce the swelling, my jaw realigned. I'm sure mine is a fairly unique case, but for anyone experiencing similar symptoms, please don't do what I did and just soldier on through the pain, get it checked out. I'm still sure my teeth had something to do with it, but either way, I wish I had got it sorted out a lot earlier.

[MrSparkums]

I'd like to suggest a question you should ask all of your TMD/TMJ patients, "Have you ever experienced any issues with Bell's Palsy or Facial Paralysis?"... I am currently experiencing my second round, and having done a lot of research I am realizing a correlation as I had an issue with jaw locking a few days beforehand.. This is the only article i've found "Causal Relationship of Bell’s Palsy Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction".. Just thought I'd share.

[donna-mariebroomfield]

The optimum jaw position for singing does not involve over extending the jaw and so does not aggravate TMD. Incorrect jaw posture for singing will aggravate TMD.

[rubinus]

Thank you very much for the information