TMJ and headache therapy
Patient wearing a nightguard used to alleviate jaw stiffness and headaches caused by grinding the teeth
Patients sometimes complain of muscle pain, jaw stiffness, difficulty opening the mouth, or headaches upon awakening in the morning. These symptoms are caused by clenching and grinding the teeth together for a long time and might indicate you have Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Dysfunction or MyofacialPain Dysfunction (MPD). The pain might indicate that the lower jaw does not fit properly in the joints or the bite is unstable or the muscles are in spasm. The discomfort is similar to having leg cramps at night or after doing strenuous exercise.
Dr. Maron has many patients that show symptoms of muscle pain from clenching and ginding their teeth. He is not a TMJ specialist and does not accept TMJ patients from outside his practice. However, he does diagnose the problems in his patients and shows them strategies to lessen the pain, including using moist heat and stretching the muscle fascia.
One of the disorders associated with grinding (known as bruxism) is sleep apnea. The thinking is that the jaw is bruxing to move the tongue forward and open the airway. This condition should be treated with an oral applicance or a CPAP.
The challenge is to diagnose the problem correctly and then lessen the stress on your joints.