The Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) allows you to open and close your mouth. Hence, you are able to speak, chew, bite in, grind and clench your teeth with the help of this joint. It is a very delicate joint located in the front part of the ears and connects the lower jaw to the skull.

In case of any tension or pressure created on the TMJ the individual can experience what is known as the TMJ disorder. This is accompanied with pain, inflammation, popping of the jaw out of the socket when the disc slips as well as TMJ lockjaw.

As well as this disk, it may involve the muscles, joints and ligaments of the jaw. So it is important to get some help for this right a way so that it does not get too bad.

With TMJ dislocation, one can suffer from the open lockjaw and/or the closed lockjaw. A lock jaw is exactly what the name suggests; your jaws are locked rendering you unable to move them until they have been unlocked. In case of open lock jaw the patient is sedated into relaxation so that the Dentist can move the open jaw up, forward or backward until the disc has settled on the socket and the ball is in place.

If it is a case of a closed lock jaw then the patient has to be completely asleep. Once this is achieved then the doctor can massage the triangular hollow beneath the earlobes and slowly increase the pressure on them. Hot compress is also a good idea in such a situation. Eventually the jaw can be pried open very gently.

Most people who suffer from this problem grind or clench their teeth both consciously or subconsciously.

Earlier Warnings

* Pain when you talk, yawn or chew

* Ringing of the ears

* Clicking or locking sounds while opening or closing the mouth

* An abnormal position of the mouth while biting or chewing food can be symptoms of TMJ disorder

* Headaches or neck pain

* Stiffness in the jaws

* Inability to open your mouth wide

* Inability to open your mouth more than a couple inches

Don’t Wait To Start Working On Your Jaw Problem

What originates the problem? There are groups of muscles for your lower jaw. One set will pull one way to close the jaw and another set will pull the opposite way to open the jaw.

When there is a disturbance, the muscles don’t pull together evenly, leading to TMJ, jaw problems and headache. So this head jaw pain connection is telling you that your muscles and tendons of the neck and jaw and the joint or joints of the jaw are in trouble.

Again, I will stress that at the first signs of a problem with your jaw, it is good to start some therapies.
Acupressure on certain points around the jaw may be helpful. One can sometimes find acupressure books with these points listed.

To help reduce a spasm, you may find that moist heat applied to the jaw is helpful. Just apply a moist hot washcloth to the face and remoisten it when it gets cool. Try this for 10 minutes a few times a day and see what it will do for you.

Author Bio: I was told I would need surgery. Learn how I got rid of my TMJ through TMJ exercises that I could do myself. You can learn this too. Next, go here to read more about Exercises For TMJ and TMJ Exercises , or more about TMJ jaw pain.

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: tmj lockjaw, tmj dislocation, open lock jaw, closed lock jaw tmj, exercises for tmj, tmj exercises