TMJ Symptoms

Corpus Christi

When the bite is in a neuromuscularly imbalanced position, and there is excess stress put on other nearby systems in the body, and in that way, symptoms of TMJ can range from the common clicking or popping in the jaw to tingling all the way down in the fingers. Here is a list of common TMJ symptoms:

• Migraine-like TMJ headaches
• Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) as well as severe itching in the ears
• Jaw pain
• Snoring
• Sleep apnea
• Tingling in the fingers
• Neck pain
• Bad posture
• Grinding and clenching of the teeth
• Broken teeth

Neck pain and bad posture come as a result of your body’s natural physiological tendency to try to correct the imbalance in the bite. Patients frequently, unconsciously hold their head forward in an attempt to get their jaw into a position that is more comfortable. Unfortunately, this puts a lot of strain on the muscles in the back of the neck, and causes neck pain on top of whatever other TMJ symptoms that the patient is already experiencing.

Grinding and clenching teeth is another symptom that comes as a natural consequence of an imbalanced bite. The body recognizes that the jaw is not positioned correctly and the jaw attempts to force itself into position by grinding and clenching. This causes wear on the teeth and can lead to worn-down, chipped and broken teeth.

If you’ve been experiencing these or other TMJ symptoms and you live in Corpus Christi, contact Dr. Lowrance for a consultation. He can tell you whether or not your symptoms are caused by TMJ and then together you can create a plan for TMJ treatment.