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If you hear a clicking sound when you chew and have aching pain ranging from your face to your ear, you may have a problem with your temporomandibular joint (TMJ). For effective relief, contact John East, DO, at Addison Pain + Regenerative Medicine in Addison, Texas. The team offers effective solutions to help you manage your pain and improve your quality of life. To learn more about treatment for TMJ pain, contact the office by phone or book an appointment online today.
How do I know if I have TMJ disorder?
Your TMJ performs an important role, since you depend on it when you talk and chew. This makes it important to contact the team at Addison Pain + Regenerative Medicine if you experience the following:
- Jaw pain or tenderness
- Pain on one or both sides of the jaw joint
- Ear pain
- Pain or difficulty with chewing
- Aching pain throughout your face
- A frozen jaw, making opening or closing your mouth difficult
You may hear a click, pop, or grating sound when you try to open your mouth or chew food. The sooner you address TMJ disorders, the better.
What causes TMJ?
You might be at a greater risk of developing TMJ disorder if you:
- Have certain types of arthritis, such as osteoarthritis
- Have injured your jaw in the past
- Grind or clench your teeth
Additionally, you may be more likely to develop this disorder if the disc of your TMJ is out of its correct position.
How is TMJ treated?
The Addison Pain + Regenerative Medicine team will recommend a personalized care plan after a thorough physical examination. If the team suspects you have a TMJ problem, they may take X-rays of the area or order a CT scan or MRI to inspect the bones of your joint.
Depending on the cause of your TMJ pain, the team may recommend corticosteroid, Botox®, or hyaluronic acid (HA) injections.
Their gold-star treatment for this disorder is TMJ injections.
This service works on two fronts. First, to offer you pain relief and allow the area to relax, and second, to reduce inflammation. TMJ injections also temporarily reduce joint friction, so you should have less pain, clicking, and locking-up of your TMJ.
If your jaw has suffered an acute injury or your TMJ is clearly red and inflamed, the team will recommend an alternative treatment.
If you combat TMJ pain, know that you are not alone. Across the country, 11 to 12 million adults experience TMJ pain, and the team at Addison Pain + Regenerative Medicine operates with the belief that chronic pain, whatever its source, deserves the highest standard of care.
With proper treatment, you can find complete relief from TMJ pain. To learn more about how the Addison Pain + Regenerative Medicine team can help you, reach out to the office by phone or online today.