AMERICAN ACADEMY Of CRANIOFACIAL PAlN

TMD: THE GREAT IMPOSTER

Chronic recurrent headaches as well as facial and neck pain are a common occurrence in millions of North Americans. In addition, people frequently suffer from ear symptoms including pain, ringing, buzzing, loss of hearing or clicking or locking of the jaw which can make chewing, speaking or moving the jaw painful or difficult.

Until recently these symptoms, appearing unrelated, were frequently undiagnosed or misdiagnosed as migraine, tension headache, neuritis, neuralgia, or stress. When standard treatment remedies for these types of disorders proved unsuccessful, patients were frequently labeled as hypochondriacs, “it’s all in your head”, or neurotic.
Today, it is well recognized by certain practitioners within the Health Care Community that these often unexplained, undiagnosed and therefore untreated symptoms are related to a group of problems called, Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD).

Today, practitioners with proper training and diagnostic skills are able to pinpoint the cause of these symptoms and provide, often times seemingly miraculous, relief of symptoms which may have been present for years.

At the TMJ & Sleep Therapy Centre of Winnipeg, we understand how TMJ pain, chronic headache pain and sleep apnea can affect the daily lives of our patients. If you are looking for well-trained professionals with many years of experience you are in the right place. Spend some time on our website to find out why.

A CLOSER LOOK AT TMD

A question that is frequently asked is WHAT EXACTLY IS TMD? TMD or Temporomandibular Disorders are a group of maladies which can affect the temporomandibular joints (the jaw joints located immediately in front of your ears), as well as the associated muscles of the jaw, face and neck as well as related neurological and vascular structures.

Problems within this complex can produce a myriad of symptoms which, at first glance, might appear to be totally unrelated to the jaw complex. These symptoms can include headaches (over the eye, in the temples, behind the eyes, and at the base of the skull), generalized facial pain as well as more specific pain directly in front of the ears, ear symptoms including ringing, buzzing, congestion, as well as pain. In addition neck and shoulder pain as well as clicking or grating noises of the jaw joint with movement, locking of the jaw or pain in the jaw with function are frequently encountered. Sufferers may not possess all of these symptoms however it is most certainly possible that they may.

Some estimates would suggest that as high as 20% of the North American population possesses one or more of the symptoms of a temporomandibular disorder. Although all of these individuals may not have conditions severe enough to warrant treatment, many sufferers have developed such debilitating pain so as to degrade the quality of their life making family, social and business interrelationships difficult if not impossible.

If you are a sufferer or know someone who is, feel free to contact our office for more information. Dr. Lawson and the staff at the TMJ & Dental Sleep Therapy Centre of Winnipeg have the training, experience and commitment to treat your TMD and change your life.