What if TMJ Is Not Treated on Time?

TMJ condition is debilitating, no doubt about that. Once TMJ pain goes untreated – it is something that is more painful. You do not think that your TMJ pain is too serious or that you have yet to find the support you need. Or you could not even know that the pain is caused by a TMJ condition.

You may think it's easy to keep living with the pain, whatever the case may be, but you should not.

That not only reduces your quality of life right now, but it also puts your future at risk. Therefore, you must visit a TMJ dentist to have it treated.

Here are a few of the untreated TMJ's long-term effects:

Chronic Pain in the Jaw

If you don't seek care, your symptoms of TMJ can intensify, including pain in your jaw. A long-developing symptom or syndrome is referred to as chronic. It can change from being intermittent to being persistent for a long time if you do not deal with your jaw pain.

This is because the body is signaling acute or more short-term pain that something is not right. It may lead to constant pain signals that lead to persistent pain when that signal is not understood and acted upon (i.e. not treating the pain).

Harm to Joint and Inflammation

Think of it as a bone that is broken. There's going to be more damage to the bone if you don't put a cast on to properly repair a broken bone. Your TMJ is the same thing. If you are not getting adequate care for your TMJ pain, you will have problems with damage to the joint(s). Going for TMJ treatment is necessary.

Inflammation is the normal reaction of the body to treat an injury. So, if your body is curing pain, once it is healed, your body will start responding.

Headaches

Headaches are another symptom that may deteriorate from untreated TMJ pain. Your TMJ attaches your jaw to your skull and all the muscles around the skull, which is why headaches are caused by complications with this joint.

If the problem's root is not resolved, that's when persistent pain effects, such as headaches, can begin to cause you problems.

Non-Treatment Effects

It is important to seek care for TMJ pain, as neglect can lead to more deterioration and worsening of symptoms over time. The disease is painful and can affect the quality of life, affecting the mood, sleep and eating habits as well as nutritional health. While there are some common TMJ health issues, you can develop an airway sleep disorder: joint damage and inflammation, wearing down of teeth, and pain or TM joint damage.

It pulls back your lower jaw as the TMJ muscles tighten, creating a limited airway as you sleep. Airway sleep disorders lead to a lack of oxygen during sleep that harms all the cells of the body that need oxygen, as well as a lack of exhaling acidic air that stays in and affects the cells, which in turn can lead, particularly in the morning, to persistent headaches, neck pain and brain fog. While all of this can sound scary, both conditions are treatable.

Popular TMJ Therapies

Physical exercise and other therapies for medical care

One of the key therapies for TMJ is physical therapy. Exercise, massage, laser electrical stimulation, trigger point & trapped nerve injections and practical manual therapy will include therapy. It is also possible to use posture correction and hot and cold therapy.

Medicines

Your dentist can prescribe medication, as TMJ can be painful and cause a lack of sleep. Muscle relaxants, NSAIDS or neuropathic medications will most frequently be prescribed to you.

Injections by Trigger Point

Injections of the trigger point, often a local anesthetic, help reset the nerve endings, relax the muscles and relieve pain. While these injections are not permanent solutions, since they allow blood flow to the areas to aid healing, they reduce pain.

See us at TMJ and Sleep Therapy Center of Oklahoma City. Dr. Dempsey is the person you were looking for. We can help you in functional orthopedics, breathing and sleep treatment and more.

**Disclaimer: This content is not a professional dental or medical advice and does not imply a relationship between patient and care provider or the doctors.