Cat got your tongue? Or is it just that your jaw joint hurts so much you aren\u2019t feeling very chatty?<\/span><\/p>\n
Have you ever seen one of those singing and dancing skeletons at Halloween? Then you\u2019ve already seen the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) in action. We all have two of these joints, one on either side of the head. They are located where the mandible (jawbone) meets the temporal bones of the skull, which are located around and in front of your ears. This is where that ridiculously long name comes from.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n
It is a synovial joint, which means that it has synovial fluid to cushion movement. It is also a double joint, which means there are two separate synovial cavities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
The TMJ allows for movement side-to-side, forward and back, as well as hinging up and down.<\/span><\/p>\n
People with TMJ disorders (TMD) may experience a number of symptoms including:<\/span><\/p>\n
Women of child-bearing age are more than twice as likely to be affected by TMJ disorders. It is believed that higher levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone cause ligament laxity (more play in the joint) which can contribute to TMJ pain.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
Of course, that\u2019s not all that can cause or contribute to TMD.<\/span><\/p>\n
As an autoimmune disorder that causes your body to attack its own joints, rheumatoid arthritis can be the root cause of your TMJ pain. In a study of people with rheumatoid arthritis, nearly <\/span>93% of them<\/span><\/a> were found to have problems with the TMJ.<\/span><\/p>\n
About <\/span>30% of people<\/span><\/a> with psoriasis can develop psoriatic arthritis, a chronic inflammatory joint condition that can also affect the TMJ.<\/span><\/p>\n
Have you recently sustained a blow to the jaw or undergone extensive dental work? An injury such as a blow or excessive stretching can put too much strain on the joint and cause problems.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t