Photo by Lesly Juarez on Unsplash
When I was a teenager, I was minding my business eating a sandwich when my Temporomandibular Joint started screaming at me. I ran to my mom to complain of sharp pain in my jaw and continued to have trouble eating for weeks. As weeks turned to a month, I was taken to a doctor who told me I had a problem with my jaw joint. Specifically, Temporomandibular Joint Disorder, or TMJ/TMD.
If you have experienced jaw clicking or lockjaw, you may also have TMJ. These disorders can exist comorbidly with anxiety and depression, and studies have shown that pain in the jaw is a commonly noted symptom. I have been battling anxiety most of my life. As I was navigating how to manage it, TMJ developed.
What Is Temporomandibular Joint Disorder?
TMJ is a condition affecting the temporomandibular joint and masticatory muscles. Masticate is a fancy way of saying chewing. In fact, I was once asked on a date by someone who said, “I’m not afraid to masticate in public together.” I think about that comment daily.
TMJ disorders can come in a variety of shapes. For instance, I have eroded cartilage discs in my jaw joints which have caused chronic pain for my entire adult life. It has become more manageable as scar tissue has formed, but I still have good and bad days. For others, it can be caused by arthritis or an impact injury.
What Are The Symptoms Of TMJ?
- Pain and swelling in jaw joint
- Clicking jaw
- Shoulder and neck pain
- Vision problems and dizziness
What Does TMJ Have To Do With My Mental Health?
For most dealing with TMJ, it’s a chronic pain issue. Chronic pain and mental health problems have a bidirectional relationship. If you are suffering from chronic pain, you probably have struggled with mental health. My counselor has said my bruxism, a fancy way of saying teeth grinding is influenced by my anxiety. This has led to my TMJ. My journey with chronic pain has been a long one.
Research shows that stress can cause TMJ, and reports of pain are often associated with complaints of stress. I know that personally, the more stressed I am, the more I feel pain in my jaw. With the recent stress due to the pandemic and all of this uncertainty, my stress and anxiety levels have been very high. Along with that, I have been noticing more pain and locking in my jaw on a daily basis.
What Are Some Ways To Alleviate The Pain?
- Touch your tongue to your top front teeth to relieve jaw stress
- Do exercises to strengthen upper back muscles and help your posture
- Over the counter pain relievers
- Ice packs/heating pad
These are a few fixes I have used over the years. My TMJ battle has been raging for half my life, and as I have gotten older I have become used to it. While I may find my pain manageable, some may have surgery. If you are in counseling and experiencing jaw pain, I would recommend mentioning it.
Meditating and yoga have also helped me alleviate my stress, which helps with my jaw. If I take a moment to work on relaxing my jaw, it helps with my unconscious clenching throughout the day. If you are also suffering from TMD in any way, I encourage you to try some of these steps to alleviate the pain. It may not always be manageable at home, but I hope they help.
