Temporomandibular joint syndrome is a disease that is caused by the swelling of the joint that connects the jaw to the skull. Sufferers of the disease find it difficult to move the jaw as well as open and close the mouth. It also becomes painful for the sufferer to do so. Patients may also experience headaches, nausea and may have an infection inside of the mouth.

A variety of treatments are available to patients. Granting that it is caught early, the swelling can be corrected with jaw exercises or the use of a nighttime biofeedback headband. If the condition becomes too severe though, it will need long term treatment and sometimes, patients need to go under the knife in order for the malfunction to be corrected. As you can see, being able to diagnose the condition early is very important so one needs to know the various TMJ symptoms.

TMJ symptoms vary and some may be experienced by the patient while some are not. The indications vary from patient to patient since the condition can be caused by many things. One of its causes can be a dental problem. Unaligned teeth causes the jaw to contract unusually, pressuring the joint when the mouth is moved. People who lack an overbite are also prone to the condition.

Another cause of this disease is the overuse of the jaw. Excessive gum chewing and opening of the mouth are examples of jaw overuse. Bruxism, the clenching of one's teeth unconsciously during his or her sleep, also stresses the jaw. Getting the jaw injured, or 'trauma', may be the cause for one's joint to get swollen.

TMJ symptoms include: difficulty in biting or chewing, clicking or popping noises when opening or closing the mouth, earaches and headaches in the morning, hearing loss, migraines, pain in the jaw and reduced ability to open or close the mouth. Tinnitus is also considered as a symptom of this disease. This is the hearing of sound absent an external source.

If you think you have the syndrome, then you should see a doctor first just to make sure whether you do have it or not. If you have a dental problem and you think that it is the cause, then you may also see a dentist. Again, it is real important for you to know early if you have it or not for it may require extreme measures for it to be cured if left ignored.