Temporomandibular joint pain often referred to as TMJ can be very debilitating and severely affect quality of life. The temporomandibular joint comprises of the mandible or jaw bone connecting to the temporal bone of the skull. This joint acts like a hinge allowing the gentle sliding of the jaw allowing for opening and closing the mouth for chewing and speaking. This joint consists of a disc that cushions the joint like most other joints in the body. TMJ disorders in Knoxville TN arise due to injury or overuse leading to malalignment of the TMJ disc, inflammation and pain in the joint, and tightening and tendonitis of the surrounding muscles.

Treatment of TMJ Disorders in Knoxville TN

Common signs of TMJ disorders include chronic jaw pain or excessive popping with opening or closing the mouth. This is most commonly noticed while eating. Also acute TMJ disorders can cause total lack of ability to open or close the mouth. The inability to move the jaw without pain can obviously then lead to problems in getting adequate nutrition when it is too painful to eat.

TMJ treatment should consist of three important goals:

1. Reduce general joint inflammation- Acute TMJ disorders are painful due to inflammation in the joint area. Natural anti-inflammatory supplements are a good protocol to reduce inflammation while avoiding harmful side effects of NSAIDs. Curcumin is a great anti-inflammatory which is the principal curcuminoid of turmeric. This supplement is very effective when following dosage recommendations. Look for a curcumin supplement that pairs with black pepper, as that leads to higher bioavailability of the curcumin.
2. Restore jaw range of motion- This requires moving the jaw against resistance until normal range of motion is restored.
3. Reducing accompanying muscle tightness- The temporalis, masseter, and frontalis facial muscles become extremely tight during acute TMJ to stabilize the unstable jaw joint. Our goal here is to relax these muscles to restore normal function of the jaw.