One of the most confounding conditions in the medical field is temporomandibular joint and muscle disorders, commonly referred to as TMJ problems. These occur in the area on the sides of your head, where the upper and lower jaws meet, but can radiate out from there to various parts of the head, including the neck, ears and facial muscles.

The temporomandibular joint has a hinge where your jaw is attached, and a slide to allow it to move back and forth and open your mouth. The round ends of the lower jaw (condyles) slide along sockets in the temporal bone. This action, in combination with muscles that help with chewing and other joint movements, are cushioned by a soft disc that lessens the hard impact of bones moving.

At one time, misaligned upper and lower teeth were suspected to be the cause of TMJ. This dental malocclusion would cause dentists to use braces to try to realign how the jaw would move. But the lack of results from this treatment soon led it to be discarded.

Researchers today believe TMJ can be traced to a combination of malfunctions, including environmental factors, emotional disturbances, bad behavior, cognitive issues and social pressures, all or some combining to produce TMJ symptoms. These are believed to impact how the jaw works and may be linked to infections, arthritis, inflammation, misalignment of the soft disc in the jaw and loose connections in the bone structure. When two or more happen at one, TMJ is believed to occur.

The Cure Is Elusive

While the pain is real, the cures for it often are not. There actually is no cure for TMJ, only treatments that might relieve the condition. Fortunately, most of the symptoms seem to come and go for patients, and in many cases will disappear as mysteriously as they arrived.