TMJ Pain: What It Is, How Common It Is, and Symptoms That Are Often Misdiagnosed

In the clinic, I often meet people who have bounced between the dentist, the ear-nose-throat doctor, and even the emergency room. They describe jaw pain when they chew, headaches that sit in front of the ear, or a deep ache that feels like it is inside the ear. Their tests all come back “normal,” but they still hurt. Very often, what we discover together is that they are dealing with TMJ-related pain that simply has not been recognized yet.

TMJ Pain

Jaw pain, often incorrectly referred to as TMJ, is a condition that results in pain around the jaw, pain with chewing, talking, and yawning, and even lockjaw. TMJ pain may also contribute to headaches. The acronym TMJ itself, refers to the Temporomandibular joint, which we all have 2 of. To be anatomically correct, one would … Read more