Arnold Palmer once said, “The more I practice, the luckier I get.” Treating TMD symptoms can be a lot like practicing one’s golf game. You can ignore it and do nothing, or you can learn the facts and improve your game. Do you know the signs and symptoms that you may be in trouble with TMJ pain?
Effectively manage your disease and go from a bogey to a birdie.
Take the following quiz:
- Are you suffering from frequent headaches? Do you feel pain particularly behind the eyes or near the base of the neck?
- Does your jaw feel tender or swollen?
- Do you have difficulty moving your jaw from side to side?
- Do you hear a noise in your jaw when opening and closing your mouth? Does your jaw make a popping, clicking or grinding sound?
- When you wake up in the morning, do you notice difficulty opening your mouth?
- Has your partner been telling you that you grind your teeth in the middle of the night?
- Are your ears bothering you? Do you feel as if you have an earache, though you have no infection? Do you feel as if your ears are often ringing?
- Does it hurt to chew your food? Do you notice more difficulty with hard, crunchy foods? Does your jaw fatigue during meals?
If you have one or more of the symptoms listed above, it’s time to see a medical professional. You may be ignoring a serious problem, and left untreated, serious pain and discomfort may result.
What is the temporomandibular joint?
The TMJ is a joint that allows the jaw to open. We use it constantly as we talk, eat and yawn. Unfortunately, any number of factors can cause the joint to function improperly, resulting in pain and discomfort. If you begin to experience difficulty with your TMJ, you are not alone. We use our TMJ all the time, so it is common for many adults to occasionally experience problems due to overuse, injury or an improper alignment.
Who should I see?
Finding the right doctor is an important first step. You wouldn’t bring a driver out of your golf bag if you needed a putter. Get the care you need to sink that ball. Your primary care doctor can make a recommendation if you are uncertain who you should consult for advice, give a call to our offices at MedCenter TMJ.
Experience matters
Find an established doctor with long-standing roots in the community. While everyone has to get their start somewhere, doctors with years of practice tend to have more experience with wider treatment modalities.
Quit playing over par! Call MedCenter TMJ today and get the treatment you need to start improving your game!
Image Source: www.flickr.com/photos/peterhellberg/6217937724
Original Source: https://www.medcentertmj.com/dental-health/go-bogey-birdie-tmj-symptoms/