Signs & Symptoms of TMJ Dysfunction

The muscles, ligaments, bones and joints in your jaw work together to help you talk, yawn, chew and swallow. Your temporomandibular joints (TMJ), located just in front of your ears, are an essential part of your jaw's functioning. There are things you do or things that happen to you that can negatively affect your jaw. Chewing on one side of your mouth, grinding your teeth, trauma, arthritis and dental problems sometimes result in TMJ dysfunction. TMJ symptoms are general. It may seem that something other than your jaw is the cause of the problem, but the following syptoms could be a sign that you need to talk to your dentist about TMJ.

Pain

• When your temporomandibular joints are not working in conjunction with other parts of the jaw your jaw muscles can contract suddenly and involuntarily (spasm). The spasms cause pain. Sometimes you will feel the pain in the muscles of your jaw but the pain can radiate to other areas, according to the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary in Manhattan, New York (NYEE). Some people with TMJ dysfunction do not have any jaw pain at all but experience earaches, headaches and pain in the temples, cheeks, neck and shoulders. Others have pain or stiffness only near the front of the ears, around the TMJ muscles. When the pain does not seem related to the jaw, you might not realize you are experiencing a symptom of TMJ dysfunction.

Popping or Locking Jaws

• McKinley Health Center of the University of Illinois states that people who have TMJ problems will often notice problems when opening or closing their mouths. They might hear clicks or pops when chewing or they might open their mouths and not be able to close them until their jaws unlock. Some people who have TMJ are not able to open their mouths completely.

Ringing in the Ears

• Ringing, buzzing, roaring and other sounds in the ears with no external cause is the condition known as tinnitus. According to the American Tinnitus Association (ATA), as many as 50 million Americans have tinnitus. Many cases of tinnitus occur because of exposure to noise, but TMJ can also cause tinnitus or make an existing case worse. If you do not have any hearing loss and develop tinnitus, there is a possibility you have TMJ dysfunction.

Facial Twitching or Sensitivity

• The muscle spasms of TMJ disorder can affect other muscles and bones, making them misaligned or sore. As a result, your muscles might twitch or you could feel soreness in other areas of your face, says NYEE. Some people with TMJ problems report increased sensitivity to light.