When you think of conditions such as temporomandibular joint dysfunction (also known as TMJD or TMD), who do you think of? Surely, a condition such as temporomandibular joint dysfunction only happens to older people, right? The truth is, though temporomandibular joint dysfunction can affect anyone of any age, it is most commonly found in younger women.
Temporomandibular joint dysfunction is a condition of the jaw, wherein the temporomandibular joint pops in and out of the jaw socket when the jaw opens and closes. This can cause painful chewing, speaking, and even breathing. It can also cause neck pain, back pain, shoulder pain, migraine headaches, tinnitus, and bruxism (teeth grinding).
Recently, the condition was studied by researchers in Oslo, Norway, to see whether or not the condition was more prevalent in teens. What they found was fascinating.
First, though temporomandibular joint dysfunction is more prevalent in girls, it was also found in adolescent boys. This is where it gets interesting, because when studied, researchers found that the female teens experiencing temporomandibular joint dysfunction actually experienced more pain than their male counterparts did.
With so much pain focused on young women, what’s a girl to do to get some temporomandibular joint dysfunction pain relief?
For starters, there are many temporary things you can do to ease your TMJD pain. If over-the-counter pain medication isn’t doing the trick, warm compresses on the affected areas can help ease the pain. If that doesn’t work, you may want to consider physical therapy or even yoga for pain relief.
Finally, if all else fails, speak to Dr. Abelar about your temporomandibular joint dysfunction relief options. These options can include:
- Orthodontics. Orthodontics don’t just straighten the teeth, they can better align the bite, making TMJD symptoms less severe.
- Custom Orthotics. Custom orthotics by Dr. Abelar can help manually reposition the jaw over time, relieving your TMJD pain.
- Bite Guards. Bite guards can help with jaw pain and tension from grinding teeth, which often occurs when you have temporomandibular joint dysfunction. It can also cause temporomandibular joint dysfunction due to the excess pressure on the jaw.
If you or your teen have temporomandibular joint dysfunction and would like to explore your treatment options, contact Dr. Abelar’s office for a consultation today!
