Stress & Anxiety Can Lead to TMJ Disorder Because of the common link between stress and teeth grinding, it is easy to develop TMJ disorder as a result. Dr. Meyer explains that temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) can develop over time.
If your anxiety is making you clench your jaw or grind your teeth, you may inadvertently be worsening the TMJ symptoms, at the same time as you wear down your teeth. Because of the relationship between TMJ and anxiety, you may find yourself caught in a vicious cycle of TMJ- and anxiety-related pain.
Psychological Factors That Contribute to TMJ
Stress is a major contributor to TMJ risk. People who are highly stressed and tend to carry that stress in their jaw muscles can experience muscle pain, damage their teeth, and stress or damage the jaw joints, causing TMJ to progress.
Physical stress, mental stress, and emotional stress can all lead to the onset of TMJ dysfunction or cause an existing disorder to become worse. Whereas you may notice an occasional tightness in the joint along with mild popping or clicking, stress can make the symptoms more frequent and more painful.
Antidepressants or Anti-Anxiety Medications
Tricyclic antidepressants can relieve TMJ pain for some people. You may benefit from these drugs even if you aren't suffering from depression. In other cases, stress can contribute to TMD symptoms, and anti-anxiety medications can be used to treat this issue.
Hold the tip of the chin in the right hand with the thumb resting under the chin and the index finger wrapped around the front. Softly push the right hand against the jaw. Slowly start to open the jaw while continuing to push against the chin. Hold the position for a few seconds, then slowly close the mouth.
According to research, taking magnesium supplementation is really helpful to get relief from TMJ pain. Keep in mind that magnesium has the ability to relax the muscles. As reported, most Americans have low magnesium levels, so taking magnesium supplementation can make a huge difference in that case.
Stress causes your TMJ to experience stress. Clenching your jaw, biting your tongue, and yelling requires you to strain your jaw muscles and joints. Stress is the number one cause of SUDDEN TMJ pain because it usually sets in after you have found time to relax.
TMJ symptoms last anywhere from a couple of days to a few weeks. Some TMJ disorders can last months or years.
Generally, you can expect a TMJ flare-up to last anywhere from a few hours to a few days. In rare cases, TMJ flare-ups can last for several weeks. If your TMJ symptoms don't resolve within this timeframe, talk to your orthodontist about possible treatment options.
Red flag symptoms and signs
Persistent and worsening pain. Jaw pain in people taking bisphosphonates (or other medicines where osteonecrosis is known to be an adverse effect). Concurrent infection. History of recent head or neck trauma.
The link between stress/anxiety and jaw pain
Stress may subconsciously contribute to us clenching more frequently than usual, which creates more pressure within the jaw (or temporomandibular joints). Over time, this can lead to poor control of the muscles responsible for opening and closing the mouth.
There are many potential muscle relaxants that can be used for TMJ. Two of the most common are cyclobenzaprine (Amrix and Fexmid) and diazepam (Valium).
If you are under high levels of stress, you may be unconsciously clenching your jaw throughout the day or grinding your teeth while you sleep. These actions can add strain and pressure to your jaw, which can eventually pull it out of alignment.
Remember that for most people, discomfort from TMJ disorders will eventually go away on its own. Simple self-care practices are often effective in easing symptoms. If treatment is needed, it should be based on a reasonable diagnosis, be conservative and reversible, and be customized to your special needs.
Frequent headaches —a constant ache, throbbing, or piercing like a migraine. Clicking or popping of your jaw when you eat, talk, chew, or open your mouth. Ear pain, from a dull ache to sharp, searing pain. Neck and/or shoulder pain with or without muscle spasm, and reduced flexibility.
Untreated TMJ can cause constant tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, that can disrupt sleep and make it difficult to concentrate. Because our body's sense of balance is in the inner ears, the inflammation caused by TMJ disorder can impact balance as well, resulting in dizziness, unsteadiness, and vertigo.
Minor TMJ discomfort will usually go away without treatment. However, anyone with the following TMJ symptoms should consider an evaluation to prevent or avoid future issues: Constant or repeated episodes of pain or tenderness at the TMJ or in and around the ear. Discomfort or pain while chewing.
What causes TMJ pain on one side? There are several possible causes of jaw pain on one side of the mouth. The pain could be caused by nerve difficulties, an injury, or blood vessel abnormalities. It can also result from a dental issue, such as an abscessed tooth or a cavity.
Causes include teeth grinding, jaw injuries, arthritis and everyday wear and tear. TMJ treatment varies from person to person and may include medication, physical therapy, custom mouth guards and jaw surgery.
In patients with temporomandibular disorders, increased parathyroid hormone levels in response to vitamin D deficiency was significantly more prominent. These data suggest that, in patients with temporomandibular disorders, vitamin D deficiency should be assessed and corrected.
The authors showed that low serum vitamin D levels were associated with TMJ pain and/or discomfort, with a negative impact on the various activities of the daily living of the participants.
A tight jaw can result from stress, anxiety, inflammation, or injury. Overexerting the jaw — by chewing too much, for example — can also cause muscle tightness. The joint of the jaw, also called the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), is a ball-and-socket joint similar to that in the shoulder.