| TMJ, or temporomandibular joints, are the
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| | a locked jaw.
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| joints of the jaw, connecting the
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| | More often than not, TMJ disorders
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| mandible, or lower jaw bone, to the
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| | involve mild symptoms, symptoms that go
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| skull. They are essential joints: we use
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| | away on their own. They may come back
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| them for common activities like speaking
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| | from time to time, but they usually don't
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| and eating. Because of their frequent
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| | worsen. However, some people with TMJ
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| use, when these joints are afflicted by a
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| | disorders do possess chronic symptoms,
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| disorder, the outcome can be
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| | symptoms that don't subside. Up to 12
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| debilitating. This is due, in part,
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| | percent of people with TMJ disorders have
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| because TMJ disorders can be medically
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| | these chronic symptoms, ultimately having
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| elusive, with complexities that are not
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| | chronic pain that impacts their ability
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| quite completely understood. Yet, TMJ
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| | to eat, talk, yawn, swallow, and lead a
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| disorders are more bothersome because of
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| | normal life. Those with chronic symptoms
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| the fact that the disorders attack joints
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| | are often affected on both a physical and
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| that people can't stay off of and let
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| | emotional level.
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| heal; they attack joints people can't
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| help but rely on.
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| | Treatment
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| | Treatment of TMJ disorders purposes to
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| The Causes
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| | relieve jaw pain and restore full
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| TMJ disorders can be caused by one
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| | function and movement. A variety of
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| single factor, but they are more commonly
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| | treatments have proven to fulfill this
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| caused by multiple factors. One of the
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| | purpose and, often, at-home treatment is
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| main causes of TMJ disorders is simply
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| | all the treatment a TMJ disorder sufferer
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| muscle tension. Tightening of the jaw,
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| | needs to seek. This can include wearing
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| head, neck and face muscles can lead to
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| | splints or bite plates for a set period
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| jaw pain, and a jaw that is stiff and
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| | of time. These devices help reduce
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| unyielding. This tension may be caused by
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| | grinding of teeth and the clenching of
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| inner stress and anxiety or activities
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| | facial muscles, which ultimately relieves
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| that cause stress on the jaw such as
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| | tension. Though effective, splints and
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| teeth grinding and gum chewing. A TMJ
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| | bite plates should not be used for a
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| disorder may also be a response to
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| | lengthy amount of time because they can
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| misalignment of the jaw joint, structural
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| | potentially permanently change the
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| problems within the jaw joint, or an
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| | position of the jaw and teeth.
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| injury a jaw may sustain through sports
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| or accidents.
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| | For those who suffer from chronic TMJ
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|
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| | disorders, relief may be found with
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| While causes of a TMJ disorder may
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| | muscle relaxation practices, such as
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| develop over time, some people may be
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| | biofeedback (a relaxation technique where
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| predisposed to them in earlier years. For
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| | people learn to control a body function)
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| instance, some people may have been born
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| | and cognitive-behavioral therapy (a form
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| with structural problems or other birth
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| | of therapy that modifies an individual's
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| defects that affect the alignment of the
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| | behavior patterns).
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| jaw. Some people may have scar tissue or
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| | People may also find relief at their
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| bone damage from a jaw injury years
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| | dentist office, with some dentists
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| earlier. Some people may have jaw
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| | specializing in TMJ disorders. These
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| displacement caused by a tumor or a
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| | dentists usually start by performing a
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| wrongly positioned disc. In other
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| | series of X-rays and prescribing a
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| instances, a TMJ disorder may be a result
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| | specialized mouth guard. They may also
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| of inflammation caused by degenerative
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| | recommend only eating soft foods for a
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| diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis.
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| | set amount of time or teach a series of
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| | exercises aimed at relieving jaw tension
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| Risk Factors
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| | and pain. If these treatment options
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| While not all risk factors for TMJ
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| | don't take, microsurgery may be
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| disorders have been uncovered, most
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| | recommended.
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| people afflicted with a TMJ disorder do
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| possess commonalities among their
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| | But invasive procedures, such as
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| lifestyles. Risk factors include stress
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| | surgery, are usually only reserved for
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| and anxiety that causes muscle tension,
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| | extreme instances: it is recommended that
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| habits that cause jaw strain such as nail
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| | people try less extreme measures before
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| biting, eating hard candy, and sleeping
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| | choosing more permanent ones. More often
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| on one side of your mouth, an injury to
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| | than not, surgical procedures are
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| the jaw or the head, and overstretching
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| | reserved for TMJ disorders caused by
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| the jaw during dental or medical surgery.
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| | diseases, irreversible injuries, or TMJ
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| Though age and sex aren't huge risk
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| | disorders that were not compliant to any
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| factors, TMJ disorders do tend to affect
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| | other form of treatment.
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| people between the ages of 20 and 50.
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| While some studies have determined that
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| | Overall, most sufferers of TMJ disorders
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| men and women are affected at an equal
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| | are sufferers of stress, a factor known
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| rate, a few studies tend to list women of
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| | to play a role in all kinds of diseases.
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| childbearing age as the most risky
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| | Because of this, adopting a lifestyle
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| demographic.
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| | that fights stress rather than
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|
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| | facilitates it may be the best way to
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| Symptoms
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| | stop TMJ disorders in their tracks.
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| The symptoms of TMJ disorders aren't
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| necessarily limited to the jaw. They can
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| | About Us: The Center for Osteopathic
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| affect muscles in the face, shoulder,
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| | Medicine in Boulder, Colorado believes in
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| neck and head. The most common symptoms
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| | The Osteopathic Difference. In a medical
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| are joint and muscle pain, noise when the
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| | industry focused on treating symptoms,
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| jaw opens and closes, inability to fully
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| | The Center is more focused on finding the
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| open the mouth or pain when doing so, and
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| | cause of these symptoms.
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