Is this pain, TMJ pain? Here is a description of some of the symptoms experienced:
You might grind or clench you teeth at night, or you may have received an injury. Whatever the cause, the symptoms are some or all of the following:
- Pain and other symptoms affecting the head, jaw and face
- Headache, tenderness of the jaw muscles
- Pain surrounding the ear area
- Dull aching facial pain with severe exacerbation in or around the ear
The above are all common symptoms of TMJ also know as TMD. You may also have:
- Difficulty in opening the mouth, “locking” of the jaw
- Clicking noises as the mouth is opened or closed.
- Pain associated with opening the mouth very wide e.g. yawning or by chewing if persistent*
*Note: If there is no pain or limiting in your movement when your jaw clicks, you probably do not need to seek treatement.
However if you have persistent pain or tenderness in your jaw, or you can’t open or close your jaw completely you probably should seek treatment.
Rest assured, treatment of TMJ pain is NOT necessarily surgical. The American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons recommends a conservative/non-surgical approach first. Only 20% of patients need to proceed to surgery.