What is a TMJ Flare Up, and Can I Stop Them?

Problems with your temporomandibular joint (TMJ) can wreak havoc on your quality of life. The pain and discomfort of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) is not surprising when you consider how often you use these complex joints.

Connecting your jaw to your skull on each side of your head just below your ears, each TMJ works as a sliding hinge, moving back and forth, side to side, and up and down. Working constantly throughout the day, they enable you to talk, chew, yawn, and more.

TMD symptoms, which include intense headache and ear pain , are difficult to diagnose because they mimic symptoms of other conditions. It’s a relief when a TMD specialist properly diagnoses and treats your TMD, but TMJ flare ups may occur, often without warning.

Although unpredictable flare ups sound daunting, fortunately, with proper care you can reduce their intensity and duration, or perhaps avoid them altogether.

A TMJ disorder flare up is when you experience a new symptom of your disorder or a current symptom gets worse.

Recognizing TMJ flare up signs can help minimize duration and severity. Common symptoms include:

• Constant or intermittent pain in the jaw joint (TMJ), ranging from mild to severe.
• General jaw pain, which may or may not be accompanied by TMJ pain.
• Frequent headaches —a constant ache, throbbing, or piercing like a migraine.
• Clicking or popping of your jaw when you eat, talk, chew, or open your mouth.
• Ear pain, from a dull ache to sharp, searing pain.
• Neck and/or shoulder pain with or without muscle spasm, and reduced flexibility. Tight, sore, contracted muscles in your jaw will tilt the shoulder and head, causing over-compensation of the shoulder, neck and back muscles.
• Ringing in the ears (tinnitus), which can be a constant tone, high-pitched ringing, or even a roar.
• Muscle spasms on the affected side of your face that involve the eye (twitching), cheek, and/or neck, together or separately.
• Noticeable swelling in the TMJ and surrounding facial muscles due to inflammation.
• A tight jaw, with limited range of motion when you open your mouth. Worse yet, lock jaw, where your jaw becomes immovable until the joint is realigned.

Recognizing triggers and addressing them can help you avoid TMJ flare ups or minimize their intensity and duration.

Stress can make you clench your jaw and grind your teeth (bruxism) when you’re asleep or even when awake. The added pressure and strain on the TMJ and facial muscles aggravates TMD.

Research indicates that decreased levels of natural estrogen can lead to TMJ inflammation. Hormonal changes due to birth control pills, which release synthetic estrogens, may be involved as well.

Chewing gum and crunching ice can trigger a flare up, along with eating hard or chewy foods that strain the TMJ, such as bagels, whole apples, gummy candies, and nuts.

Dehydration contributes to a flare up by decreasing the effectiveness of joint lubrication.

Poor posture can result in a misaligned spine that may cause your lower jaw to protrude forward, leading to an excessive amount of tension in certain facial muscles and the supporting structures, including the TMJ.

The bones in your neck work intimately with the muscles that control talking, biting, breathing, chewing, and head posture. When neck muscles become strained and tired, they recruit other muscles which results in imbalance that triggers TMJ/TMD pain.

Certain medications can make you grind and clench. That doesn’t mean you should stop taking them but reviewing them with an orofacial pain specialist is a good idea.

Deficient levels of Vitamin D can contribute to muscle pain.

Addressing a flare up may sound daunting but it’s easier than you think. While seeking help from a TMD specialist is wise, and Splint Therapy is the most effective research-based long term treatment option you can do things on your own to address a flare up, such as:

• Eliminate hard, chewy foods that overwork your TMJ. Avoid chewing gum.
• Stay hydrated. Drink water and eat high-water-content foods, such as cucumber, tomatoes, cantaloupe, and cauliflower. Avoid caffeine.
• Perform simple exercises that relax or stretch your jaw, release stress, and/or improve your posture.
• Sleep on your back to avoid putting pressure on your jaw. Use a pillow that properly supports your head and neck.
• Try myofascial massage therapy to ease tension and tightness and relax strained muscles.
• Easier said than done, but stress reduction can resolve flare ups and even help prevent them from occurring in the first place. Practice relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, meditation, and stretching. Exercise regularly to relieve stress.
• Apply warm compress pads to your neck, temples, and/or facial muscles, then perform recommended stretches and/or exercises to help keep the TMJ from remaining stiff. After stretching, apply a cold compress.
• Physical Therapy that manipulate the jaw and surrounding TMJ muscles may relieve tension and pain.
• Acupuncture by a licensed acupuncturist who locates trigger points and tightness, can help relieve tension and increase blood flow to the area.

If you suspect you have TMJ/TMD, schedule an appointment and find out how Dr. Katherine S. Phillips can help you get relief. With a Master of Science in Orofacial Pain and extensive TMJ/TMD experience and expertise, she will offer a treatment plan that best fits your needs.