TMJ or Temporomandibular Joint Disorder. This affects the joints in front of the ears that are hinges for your jaw. If one of these hinges becomes infected then the jaw becomes swollen and it is extremely painful. TMJ is caused by the tightness of the jaw muscles; you can get TMJ from grinding your teeth as well. Anything that causes stress to the jaw may result in TMJ. You may have trouble biting and trouble chewing because of the TMJ.

If you have a history of TMJ then you are at a greater risk to develop it somewhere down the road. If you begin to get a dull aching feeling in the jaw area it may be a sign of TMJ. If you yawn it will make it worse. You may also feel pain if you move the head, ear, or even the shoulders. Your mouth will not open and close so easily. Your teeth may not line up properly either because of the mis alignment that happens when you have TMJ.

The doctors will take X-Rays to determine whether or not you have TMJ. He will feel the hinges to see for himself how swollen the hinges are. Then once he diagnoses the TMJ, he can give you some pain medication and some anti-inflammatory medications. For real severe cases surgery may be needed but only in severe cases.

These are the things to do if you are diagnosed with TMJ, you can take over the counter medications such as aspirin and Tylenol. You can try applying heat to the area that may help reduce the pain you will be feeling. Use a heating pad and set it to low so you don’t burn your face. You can also use a hot washcloth or a water bottle. Apply the heat every 15 minutes every two hours.

Try not eating hard foods, eati soft foods, like Jell-O, cooked cereal, applesauce, bananas, eggs, pasta, yogurt, cottage cheese, soup and ice cream. Stay away from bagels and meats, anything that is hard on the teeth stay away from. The dentist may suggest a night guard to prevent any teeth grinding while you sleep. Try not to clench your jaw muscles too, learn to relax the muscles. If you still don’t have any relief from the symptoms please see your doctor.

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