Humans have been asking themselves a simple question for years. Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
Similar questions come up in medicine because many conditions feed off each other. They're so closely connected that it's difficult to tell which came first.
Being stressed can mess up the bones in your jaw. Pain from the bones in your jaw has a negative effect on your mental health. It's not always easy to know which problem came first because they're so connected.
Read on to learn how TMJ and anxiety are connected and what your treatment options are for both.
What Is TMJ?
The temporomandibular joint connects the jaw to the skull. The body has two of them, one on each side of the face.
TMJ or temporomandibular dysfunction is also known as TMD or temporomandibular disorder. It's a condition that occurs when these bones get inflamed.
Common TMJ symptoms include:
- Clenching or grinding the teeth
- Pain or tenderness in the face
- Headaches or migraines
- Earaches or ringing in the ears
- Toothaches
- Difficulty chewing
- Lockjaw or difficulty closing or opening the mouth
- Clicking or grinding noises when moving the mouth
- Neck, shoulder, or back pain
- Numb or tingling fingers
These symptoms can differ from patient to patient or even from day to day. The jaw moves around a lot from moment to moment without you even realizing it.
A typical
TMJ flareup lasts only a few days. It can go on for as long as a few weeks. It depends on what's causing the condition and other contributing factors.
The TMJ and Anxiety Connection
Many scientific studies have identified the
TMJ and stress connection. Those with TMJ are more stressed, and those who are stressed are more likely to have TMJ.
Certain TMJ symptoms and anxiety symptoms can mirror each other. A few major ones include:
- Grinding teeth
- Fatigue
- Difficulty sleeping
- Muscle tension or pain
Anxiety is also one of the primary things that can
make TMJ worse. It can turn into a cycle where they feed off each other. Stress causes the jaw and facial muscles to tighten. This worsens the pain of TMJ.
The issue ranges from short-term flare-ups to a chronic problem that
lasts for years. It can become debilitating. Other mental health effects of TMJ include the development of other mood disorders such as depression.
It's important to get the right treatment because of the major impact of TMJ on mental well-being and physical quality of life for patients.
TMJ Treatment Options
The first part of TMJ treatment is to get a diagnosis. Pay attention to symptoms such as
tooth pain and come to the dentist as soon as they become unbearable.
The next step is to discuss the right treatment options. The link between TMJ and stress means you may want to talk to a dentist and a therapist. There are a range of
TMJ treatment options, including ones you can do at home and others that require professional assistance.
Self-Care
Don't forget about
self-care. There are steps you can take at home to make your anxiety and TMJ more bearable.
Avoid any habits that could make your condition worse. Don't bite your fingernails, compress or bite your lips, or run your tongue between your front teeth.
Medication may help. These include:
- Over-the-counter pain meds
- Muscle relaxants
- Anxiety medications
Stress management will help sever the link between your TMJ and your anxiety. Try exercises to relax your jaw. Work to relax your mind with practices such as mindfulness or yoga.
Consider changing your diet. Reducing the number of hard or crunchy foods you eat will also reduce the strain on your jaw. Replace
inflammation-causing foods such as fried and sugary snacks with inflammation-fighting ones such as olive oil or leafy greens.
Work to improve your posture. Try to stand up straight so that your head doesn't hang low. This puts extra pressure on your jaw.
Stretching the muscles in your shoulders, neck, and back will reduce pain in those areas. You can also try massaging them when the pain flares up.
Do you have trouble sleeping or notice that you grind your teeth at night? Try getting fitted for a night guard. It'll reduce your pain and help you sleep better, improving your overall quality of life.
Professional Treatment Options
Only
24% of adults say they've talked with a mental health care professional in the last year. The TMJ and stress connection is so strong that you may want to consider it. They can help you identify the sources of your stress and anxiety. That'll help sever the circular nature between the two conditions.
They're not the only professional you should see. Your dentist can recommend many
professional treatment options that could work. These include:
- Physical therapy
- Biofeedback
- Acupuncture
They may suggest new procedures that you've never heard of. One of the latest and least well-known is also one of the best.
Dental
TENsing is a professional treatment option that uses electrical nerve stimulation. It stimulates the muscles in your jaw and face to help them relax into the right position. The dentist will then create a custom orthotic device to help them remain in the right place.
Dental TENsing treatment helps reduce symptoms such as:
- Muscle and joint pain
- Headaches
- Toothaches
- Neck pain
- Locked jaws
- Joint popping or clicking
- Misaligned bites
- Dizziness
- Earaches or hearing loss
Severe cases may require dental surgery. Removing a tooth that's causing your bite to be misaligned can reduce the pressure on your jaw. You may also need braces or other professional orthodontic devices. They can realign your jaw and remove your pain permanently.
Where to Go for Treatment
The link between TMJ and anxiety is like a circle because one makes the other worse. It takes a combination of at-home and professional treatment options to stop this.
The expert team at
Dental Care Burke specializes in TMJ and TMD treatment but also offers general and cosmetic services. We focus on using the highest-quality materials and providing personalized, comfortable care.
Contact us for an appointment today.
