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The exact cause of TMJ is often challenging to determine. But there are some causes to look out for including, arthritis, a jaw injury, or clenching or grinding your teeth (bruxism). It also can be genetic. Signs of TMJ may include:

• Pain or tenderness in your jaw, temporomandibular joints, or around your ear

• Difficulty or pain while chewing

• Locking of the jaw joint so that opening or closing your mouth is difficult

Contact your dentist if you have persistent pain or tenderness in your jaw or if you have trouble opening or closing your jaw all the way.

Now, let's discuss the fun part so you can get some relief!

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The science behind the TMJ massage starts with the temporomandibular joint becoming inflamed due to irritation from stress or trauma. The TMJ disorders can cause ringing in the ears, lock jaw, headaches, forward head/neck dis-functions, swallowing disorders. 

  The temporomandibular (tem-puh-roe-man-DIB-u-lur) joint (TMJ) acts like a sliding hinge, connecting your jawbone to your skull. You have one joint on each side of your jaw. TMJ disorders — a type of temporomandibular disorder or TMD — can cause pain in your jaw joint and in the muscles that control jaw movement. The exact cause of a person's TMJ disorder is often difficult to determine. Your pain may be due to a combination of factors, such as genetics, arthritis or jaw injury.

Some people who have jaw pain also tend to clench or grind their teeth (bruxism), although many people habitually clench or grind their teeth and never develop TMJ disorders. In most cases, the pain and discomfort associated with TMJ disorders is temporary and can be relieved with self-managed care or nonsurgical treatments. Surgery is typically a last resort after conservative measures have failed, but some people with TMJ disorders may benefit from surgical treatments.

 Signs and Symptoms of TMJ disorders may include:

• Pain or tenderness of your jaw

• Pain in one or both of the temporomandibular joints

• Aching pain in and around your ear

• Difficulty chewing or pain while chewing

• Aching facial pain

• Locking of the joint, making it difficult to open or close your mouth TMJ disorders can also cause a clicking sound or grating sensation when you open your mouth or chew.

***But if there's no pain or limitation of movement associated with your jaw clicking, you probably don't need treatment for a TMJ disorder.***

When to see a doctor or seek medical attention if you have persistent pain or tenderness in your jaw, or if you can't open or close your jaw completely. Your doctor, your dentist or a TMJ specialist can discuss possible causes and treatments for your problem.

Causes:

The temporomandibular joint combines a hinge action with sliding motions. The parts of the bones that interact in the joint are covered with cartilage and are separated by a small shock-absorbing disk, which normally keeps the movement smooth.

Painful TMJ disorders can occur if:

• The disk erodes or moves out of its proper alignment

• The joint's cartilage is damaged by arthritis

• The joint is damaged by a blow or other impact In many cases, however, the cause of TMJ disorders isn't clear.

Risk factors that may increase the risk of developing TMJ disorders include:

• Various types of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis

• Jaw injury

• Long-term (chronic) grinding or clenching of teeth

• Certain connective tissue diseases that cause problems that may affect the temporomandibular joint

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Benefits of TMJ Massage: 

The role of a TMJ massage therapists is to discover where your pain is could be originating and treat it – they’re sort of a TMJ Detective. They will ask you questions about the pain and investigate the muscles around your jaw, face, neck, shoulders, and back.  It’s very possible the pain is not located in the jaw, but rather being referred from the jaw to another location. 

  You’ll receive a holistic approach. Your massage therapist recognizes the importance of working with other medical specialists to help you recieve the best care. Collaborating with neurologists, dentists, or physical therapists will help you to reach potential recovery.  Results are never guaranteed.