Ringing Ears? Neck Pain? What do you know about TMD/TMJ?

Does this sound like how you’re feeling: a dull, aching pain around the ears, radiating to the neck, shoulders, and back?

One of the most common symptoms of TMD is a dull, aching pain around the ears, which can radiate to the neck, shoulders, and back; tenderness of the jaw muscles, headache, a clicking or popping sound in the joint, limited opening of the mouth, and facial pain are also common. Another curious symptom is ringing in the ear(s), sometimes coupled with a feeling that closely resembles being under water or up in the mountains.

Simply put, TMD represents the range of disorders of the jaw muscles and of the temporomandibular joint — the hinge at the side of the head that connects the lower jaw to the temporal bone of the skull.

It is estimated that as many as 60 million Americans … 30% of the US population … suffer from TMD. TMD affects four times as many women as men, and it is most often a problem for those in their thirties and forties.

TMD disorders frequently result when the chewing muscles, the teeth, and the temporomandibular joint do not work together correctly. Some common causes are braces, trauma, whiplash, stress, teeth grinding (also called “bruxism”), dental malocclusions, missing or sore teeth, and muscle abuse.

TENSION HEADACHES AND MIGRAINE HEADACHES ARE AMONG THE MOST COMMON SYMPTOMS OF TMJ DYSFUNCTION

As highly trained dental practitioners in the treatment of TMD, we have spent years learning and practicing the most advanced technology and research to bring relief to our TMD patients. The heart of our practice is to help you find freedom from TMJ and related symptoms – especially TMJ tension headaches and migraine headaches.

Our firm commitment to you, as our patient, is to provide relief from migraine headaches, grinding your teeth, popping and clicking of your jaw, fullness and ringing in your ears, as well as any jaw, face, head, or neck pain related to TMJ.

Our approach is a comprehensive program for treating TMJ problems such as headaches, jaw pain, and bruxism. We start with a complete in-office assessment, including computer evaluation of head/neck/ biting forces and their relationship to healthy muscle and joint positioning, specific splint therapy, massage therapy, laser therapy, and ultrasound. We back up this assessment with outstanding home products, such as a painless Microcurrent unit that gently helps heal muscles and joints and relieves head and neck pain.

For treatment information, visit our website, StopJawPain.com  or call our convenient Naperville Dental office today:  630 369-5225.