In regard to head and facial disorders, Temporomandibular Joint pain is most common, affecting millions of people around the globe. In fact, 86% of people experience TMJ/TMD at some point in their lives! Even though TMJ/TMD is fairly common, it is often misdiagnosed or overlooked by doctors that lack sufficient training in the matter. As a leading TMJ Dentist in Vancouver, WA – Dr. Priya Mistry understands the importance of properly diagnosing TMJ disorder and devising the most effective treatment plan. Today on our newest blog, dive into this TMJ guide to better understand the most common types of pain associated with Temporomandibular Joint Disorder.
The 3 Components of TMJ/TMD Pain
TMJ Disorder presents an array of symptoms, but one of the first steps in determining if a patient has TMJ/TMD is to assess these three main components: quality, duration, and frequency of pain.
- Quality: A TMJ specialist will ask you to rate your pain based on a pain scale. TMJ pain may range from mild to severe or downright debilitating.
- Duration: TMJ pain can be intermittent meaning that it comes and goes or is chronic, which means that pain occurs daily (or most days) and lasts longer than six months.
- Frequency: Notice the frequency of your pain. Does it occur every day when you eat? Or do you have headaches and jaw pain upon waking every morning or only with certain activities like eating or talking?
Most Common Symptoms Associated with TMJ Disorder
- Dull, Aching Pain: Many sufferers of TMJ Dysfunction explain that their pain feels dull, achy, and is persistent although their pain may fluctuate over time – intensifying and backing off, depending on the activity. This type of pain may be caused by muscle tension and inflammation within or around the temporomandibular jaw joints.
- Pressure or Tightness: Due to inflammation and reduced blood flow, TMJ dysfunction sufferers may describe a feeling of pressure or tightness in the jaw joints. These sensations may also extend to the ears – resulting in a feeling of fullness the ear, tinnitus, hearing loss, dizziness, and/or ear pain.
- Sharp, Stabbing Pain: In severe cases of TMJ dysfunction, the sufferer may experience sharp, zinging or stabbing pain, specifically during jaw movement like chewing or opening wide to yawn. This level of pain may be associated with joint derangement or trauma from an injury and necessitates an immediate evaluation by a TMJ Dentist near you. Mistry is located in Vancouver, Washington. If you are local to her, call her office at (503) 255-8293. If you are not local to her office, you can book an online consultation with her on her website! During the online consultation, Dr. Mistry will provide a preliminary diagnosis but for treatment, she must see you in-person.
Nerve Pain Associated with TMJ Disorder
Aside from skeletal and muscular symptoms, TMJ/TMD also affects nerves that may lead to painful sensations or zings of pain.
- Throbbing Pain: Rhythmic pulses or pressure may mean that a nerve is compressed, which commonly occurs in near the jaw joints due to the proximity of the trigeminal nerve in that area.
- Electric or Pounding Sensations: Nerve pain is often described as an electric or pounding sensation that causes numbness or tingling in the affected area, although these sensations and pain can radiate through the nerve’s other branches or to the spinal cord.
- Itchy or Burning Sensations: Although rare, some TMJ dysfunction sufferers may experience itchiness or burning on the surface of the skin at the jaw joints or in the ears, which could indicate neurogenic inflammation or neuropathy as a result of TMJ/TMD.
Temporomandibular Joint Disorder Examination in Vancouver, WA near Portland OR
As you can see, there is a variety of sensations and pain associated with Temporomandibular Joint Disorder. Therefore, we recommend scheduling a consultation with a TMJ specialist near you. Dr. Priya Mistry, a TMJ Dentist serving Vancouver, WA and Portland, OR provides non-invasive therapeutics to relive symptoms associated with TMJ/TMD.
To learn more or schedule your consultation, please contact Dr. Priya Mistry (The TMJ Doc) by calling (503) 255-8293.
