Skip to main content
TMJBlogConditionsJaw

25 Common Symptoms of TMJ

By July 12, 2021December 1st, 2022No Comments
TMJ Symptoms

Temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ) is a type of arthritis that causes pain and tenderness around the jaw joint. TMJ issues are common among people who have a lot of stress or strain on their jaw muscles, such as participating in sports. This article discusses the common symptoms for TMJ patients.

1. Pain in Jaw Joints

The pain a Temporomandibular joint patient may feel is located in the jaw joint itself. However, the pain that occurs when TMJ patients open their mouths or move their heads during sleep is most likely experienced by insomnia.

2. Jaw Pain during Sleep

TMJ patients often say that they suffer from jaw joint pain when they sleep, but this is not necessarily the case for everyone with this condition. Try not to take TMJ-related pain during sleep preventively if you do not wake up in the middle of the night and have an adverse reaction to the pain.

3. Jaw Pain when Moving Head

Jaw joint pain during movement is caused by strain on the muscles of your jaw. This kind of pain is usually experienced by those who have Temporomandibular joint that causes stress on their head, such as typing or performing extreme sports. you can have Jaw joint pain when moving your head can be prevented with the right treatment and diet. Additionally, it will improve with time.

4. Stiffness in Jaw Joints symptoms

When Temporomandibular joint patients open their mouth wide, they often experience a lot of pain and stiffness in the jaw joints, which can cause them to lose their ability to move their jaw normally. This can be a serious problem for those who want to do a lot of talking or chewing food during meal times.

5. Change in Bite and Mouth Size

The bite structures of TMJ patients are not the same as before being diagnosed with this condition. TMJ patients often have a smaller bite due to the condition or have a larger bite of their mouth due to TMJ-related pain. A Temporomandibular joint patient who wants to chew food normally will eventually get used to the smaller bite and adjust over time.

6. Pain in Jaw Joint when Eating

When eating large amounts of foods, like crunchy snacks, a TMJ patient may experience pain in their jaw joint. If you are a Temporomandibular joint patient, you will want to avoid foods that require a lot of chewing and can cause TMJ-related pain. Additionally, you should chew your food at least 15 to 20 times before swallowing to be as healthy as possible.

7. Jaw Joint Hurts When Opening Your Mouth symptoms

Temporomandibular joint patients often complain about pain in the jaw joints when they open their mouth wide. This is because your jaw muscles are constantly being strained by opening your mouth for long periods, eating, or talking excessively.

8. Jaw Joints Alignment Change

The position of your jaw joint you can change due to Temporomandibular joint that causes your jaw to form differently. You will want to seek treatment from a professional to help you get your bite back into the right track of alignment.

9. Muscle Pain in Jaw Joints symptoms

TMJ patients often feel muscle pain in their jaw and head during the day, which results from the constant tension of the muscles around their jaws and heads. TMJ causes pain and tightness in the muscles of your head and jaw. This is why Temporomandibular joint patients experience pain when they yawn, chew gum, or open their mouths wide during the day.

10. Jaw Joint Pain Gets Worse as You Age

As you get older, your Temporomandibular joint will worsen over time due to no preventive therapy. You will need to see a specialist for full treatment at this age to avoid TMJ from worsening and causing more damage to your jaw joint.

11. Pain When Waking Up

Many Temporomandibular joint patients wake up in the middle of the night with pain in their jaw joints. This condition and pain can be caused by stress on your jaw muscles during sleep or unconsciously grinding your teeth. You should see a dentist at least once a year to get full treatment to help you avoid TMJ-related pain when waking up.

12. Muscle Tenderness

Muscle tenderness in your jaw joint is common among Temporomandibular joint patients. This can result in a lot of pain and discomfort when chewing food or talking. If you feel a lot of pain when chewing food or talking, you should see your doctor as soon as possible to get the right treatment immediately.

13. Pressure Sensitivity

TMJ patients often feel pain or discomfort when they put a lot of pressure on their teeth. This is because Temporomandibular joint causes your jaw joint to harden and lose its ability to adjust to different pressures.

14. Muscle Spasms

Spasms in your jaw muscles are caused by extreme muscle strain due to TMJ. These spasms cause a lot of pain and discomfort when you yawn, open your mouth wide, chew gum, or talk during the day.

15. Headaches

Headaches are common among TMJ patients because TMJ causes a lot of stress on your jaw muscles and head, which results in headaches for most TMJ patients. Headaches are not the symptom of the disease, but the result of all the negative side effects caused by TMJ.

16. Jaw Joint and Neck Pain

TMJ pain from this condition often occurs in other areas of your body that receive a lot of strain from this condition, such as your neck joints and shoulders. TMJ pain can appear in other areas of your body, so you should always see a doctor for treatment.

17. Jaw Joint Pain in Cheekbone

When you move your jaw during sleep, TMJ-related pain can occur in the cheeks and earlobes and even your sinuses if you have TMJ that causes a lot of stress on your head. This is because the muscles that transfer forces from your jaw to your head are not working properly anymore, or they may be injured due to strain.

18. Jaw Joint Pain from Sudden Knee Jerk

TMJ patients often have TMJ-related pain that occurs during sudden movements, like when you fall forward or get pulled towards the door in an emergency. Temporomandibular joint causes your jaw joints to feel a lot of strain in these types of motions that result in a lot of pain and discomfort for TMJ patients.

19. Sensitivity to Hot and Cold Temperature

People with Temporomandibular joint feel pain and discomfort when temperatures are either very hot or cold. They will experience a lot of pain in their face when they can not adjust to the temperature of the environment around them. This is because TMJ causes a lot of strain on all the muscles that transfer forces from your jaw to your head, where TMJ-related pain occurs.

20. Jaw Joint Pain from Airplane Travel

A TMJ patient may feel a lot of pain and discomfort throughout their body when traveling by airplane. This is because the pressure in the cabin changes or when you travel to higher altitudes. This condition and pain can be caused by the change in atmosphere, which places a lot of strain on your muscles that transfer force from your jaw joints to your head.

21. Dull Pain or Sensitivity with Body Movement

TMJ causes a lot of strain on all of your body’s muscle groups when you flick and make quick movements, like when you fall forward or get pulled towards something quickly while walking around. Temporomandibular joint can cause a lot of pain and discomfort throughout your body when you flick or make quick motions.

22. Jaw Joint Pain from Overuse

TMJ patients may feel pain or sensitivity when they chew gum, eat hard foods, talk or open their mouth too wide. All these conditions and symptoms are caused by muscle strain on your jaw joint due to Temporomandibular joint. When you have Temporomandibular joint pain, you need to see a dentist immediately because this condition is not curable.

23. Temporomandibular joint Pain from Loose Jaw Joints

When you have loose jaw joints that are not aligned correctly, TMJ can cause a lot of pain and discomfort throughout your body. TMJ causes pain and tightness in the muscles of your head and jaw. Loose jaw joints constrict or loosen due to a lot of stress being placed on them from TMJ.

24. Jaw Joint Pain from Parafunctional Activities

Parafunctional activities are common among TMJ patients and include jaw clenching, grinding your teeth, chewing gum, and talking. These activities can cause a lot of pain throughout your body and jaw joints because of all the strain placed on your muscles during these activities.

25. Temporomandibular joint Pain from Stress

When you have chronic stress, TMJ pain can occur in other parts of your head and face that receive a lot of strain from this condition.

Conclusion

These are the 25 Temporomandibular joint Symptoms caused by TMJ. This is what you will experience with TMJ without any proper treatment.

Woman photo created by cookie_studio – www.freepik.com

Imagine Dental

The Imagine Dental team of professionals have decades of combined experience between them, they understand that people go to a dentist because they need to, not necessarily because they want to. With that in mind, our team of specialists try to make sure every procedure is as pain free and as quick as possible.

Skip to content