TMJ, TMD and a Flight out of JFK
On a recent travel from New York to London, I overheard a lady on the plane telling her that her TMJ is bothering her so she needed water to take some aspirin.
When the flight attendant approached, she started to tell her story, of how she is overcome with pain every time her TMJ acts up, and how it always gets worse when she is flying.
I was tempted to correct her and tell her that we all have TMJ, which is the acronym of Temporomandibular Joint. TMJ is a unique joint on either side or our jaw formed by the union of our temporal bone (skull) and the mandible (lower jaw).
The actual pain that is encountered when our TMJ malfunctions is known as TMD, or temporomandibular joint disorder (or dysfunction).
Acting as a “shock absorber” so to speak, the TMJ allows movement forward and backward, side to side and up and down. When the muscles, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels, and other tissues associated with them become stressed or inflamed, TMD can be the result.
This can cause an assortment of ailments including headaches, neck aches, back aches, swelling of the face, jaw pain, and an inability to chew or swallow without some degree of pain.
It is still not clear why TMD affects women more than men, but there are a number of studies which indicate that the frequent relief brought on by pregnancy is a sign that TMD is affected by hormonal changes in the body.
Again I resist telling that to my aisle mate, as I’m almost definite that she would rather take her aspirin than to get pregnant. On the other had, we do have a rather long flight ahead of us.
Now I’m not suggesting that morning sickness, labor, delivery, child rearing and college tuition are worth the nine months of relief that one might enjoy away from TMD, but many experience such severe pain that pregnancy might be a welcome alternative. For men who suffer, along with those beyond the childbearing years, arthritis medications may offer some relief.
Some report that ice or heat packs have been found to give the temporary relief that they seek. But for the most severe cases, when opening the mouth has become too painful to endure, surgery is often recommended.
But before succumbing to such severe measures, it would be practical to try several suggestions like eating soft foods, avoiding chewing gum, beef jerky or jawbreakers. These have been found to give relief to TMD sufferers.
Avoid yawning and singing and remember that any extraneous movement such as chewing ice or holding the phone between your shoulder and your jaw should also be shunned.
Above all else, don’t overlook the possibility that simple stress could be the lone culprit in this misery we call TMD. Along with stress, many experience jaw clenching, teeth grinding and poor posture.
These are all believed by many to be at the root of many TMD problems. So before you opt for surgery OR pregnancy, sit up straight, take a deep breath, spit out your gum and just relax.
Another source of relief can be found in my program “TMJ No More”. It is an all-natural alternative to the usual therapies. See how a few simple facial exercises can cure your TMJ pain for life!
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