<![CDATA[In the health and dental world today, there are all sorts of conditions that go widely undiagnosed and untreated. Since some conditions are not well-known or easy to spot, it isn’t a huge surprise that some problems within the body simply go undetected. Take for instance the various conditions that cause chronic pain. The conditions often cause generalized pain that the patient has a hard time explaining. Sometimes the pain comes and goes, and many patients suffer in silence, thinking that maybe the pain isn’t severe enough to ask for help. All of this makes diagnosis and proper treatment extremely difficult. Recently, the Women's Advocates organization has called on the Institute of Medicine to put forth more research in order to better understand chronic pain. What health professionals do know is that chronic pain widely affects older women and can be the result of a variety of health conditions, including TMJ disorder.
The problem with chronic pain as it relates to TMJ disorder is that TMJ disorder is not widely understood. Patients can experience all sorts of symptoms, including jaw pain, facial pain, neck pain, tinnitus, migraines, and even bruxism. With such a wide array of symptoms, it can be difficult for a dentist or physician to diagnose the problem as being an imbalance within the TMJ if they don’t have experience in looking for it. Even if they do suspect TMJ disorder, relatively few dentists or physicians are comfortable treating it because the problem can be so complex.
Chronic Pain and TMJ – The Relationship
In TMJ disorder, the jaw is misaligned, usually due to a “bad bite”, that is, when the teeth come together, the jaw is torqued into an uncomfortable position. The body will unconsciously try to realign the jaw joint to a more ideal position. This unconscious effort can bring about all sorts of pain, strain, and pressure on the jaw and any connected body parts, such as the ears, neck, and skull resulting in jaw pain, neck pain, and severe, migraine-strength headaches. Even though OTC medications may provide some relief, the fact is that the relief is temporary at best. Dr. Siegel can provide patients with permanent relief from TMJ symptoms by correcting the bite (occlusion).
Are you ready to end your chronic pain? If you suffer from constant pain in your jaw, neck, or face or suffer from nearly constant headaches, a problem within your TMJ may be the underlying culprit. Of course, TMJ disorder can only be diagnosed through proper examination. Contact Dr. Siegel’s Philadelphia area office today to schedule your consultation.]]>
