The TMJ in Me

TMJ is the commonly used acronym for temporomandibular joint disorder. TMJ is an umbrella term covering acute or chronic inflammation of the temporomandibular joint, which connects the mandible to the skull. The disorder and resultant dysfunction can result in significant pain and impairment. Because the disorder transcends the boundaries between several health-care disciplines — in particular, dentistry, neurology, physical therapy, and psychology — there are a variety treatment approaches.

The temporomandibular joint is susceptible to many of the conditions that affect other joints in the body, including ankylosis, arthritis, trauma, dislocations, developmental anomalies, and neoplasia.

Ok, so much for these highly technical medical terms. TMJ just means your jaw has been dislocated. My case is the right jaw. The dentist said there has been a remarkable lengthening of my right cheek. There are many causes, mine (I suspect) is too much opening of my mouth, chewing food on only one side and stress of my right hand due to computer use.

Now, let me clarify the first perceived cause - too much opening of my mouth. Readers might think I nag too much LOL. I can only think of one reason why I open my mouth wider than I should and it is during singing. You see, our church choir conductor always teaches us to open our mouth wide so that proper sound will come out. He would even let us press our cheeks so train our lips (and all those inside) to produce correct sound. I guess I am a good student. Not that I have learned how to be a great choir singer, but I have learned to open my mouth (and even overdo it).

The second reason - chewing food on one side of my mouth. I only have a few lower teeth left. I have a denture but I felt I was punishing myself for wearing it. It was too much discomfort in eating. Not to mention the pain it was giving to my gums.

The third factor - too much use of the computer. My work as a Virtual Assistant (work from home) means spending more time on the computer more than being in bed. Right handed that I am, I have always known that the right side of my upper extremities are really overworked.

Anyway, those are my primary suspected reasons why I got into trouble with TMJ. I first felt the pain about two months ago. My thoughts played morbid possibilities LOL. Before I got diagnosed with TMJ, I attributed the pain in my right ear as that of migraine (advanced stage I would say).

What specifically do I feel as a TMJ sufferer?

- pain in the right lower ear lobe

- pain in yawning (my yawns are rather cute now. Limited to two-finger wide opening)

- sneezing is more painful than it is a relief

- pain when chewing hard food (e.g. meat) I now eat slower than I used to. My husband sometimes forgets that I have TMJ and wonder why I eat slow and in small bites. He thought I am just being picky.

How do I get treated?

The dentist said I have two options:

- Install an appliance called splint inside my lower teeth set. This will cost 7k including succeeding checkups and adjustments. I will need to wear the splint for 6-8 weeks depending on the progress of my jaw. Initially, I will have to eat soft food.

- Restore (I guess it will be jacked up) my dislocated jaw and just let it heal. This is far from practically being healed because this means I will have to immobilize my jaw. I can't imagine this situation.

Meanwhile, I am in the state of meditation and research and self-assessment. 7k is affordable. It's the discomfort that isn't. I was unable to endure the denture in my lower teeth, I am not sure if I would with the splint (which btw is more invasive than the denture).

So while I am still in the middle of the TMJ, I just minimize my sneezes (if I do I would support my right jaw), eat softer food, yawn a little cuter, balanced my chew on both sides of the mouth.

More on TMJ next post. I just read that TMJ is associated with fibromyalgia. I think this will explain more why I got this and so does one of my nieces.