Because Dr. Logan understands the importance of educating patients, he writes a weekly column for his town's local newspaper - The Huntsville Item. Below is the most recent article for you to read. If you have questions or would like to reference any of his previous articles, feel free to click here or use the search feature to the left.

Jaw Joints and Those “Pesky” Headaches

Last week I discussed headaches and many of their causes. This week I will specifically focus on the TMJs and how they can relate to the pain you are feeling. TMJ is an acronym for the Temporomandibular Joint. TMJ has been used by many people through the years to actually describe TMD which is an acronym for Temporomandibular Joint Disorder. TMD describes many symptoms related to the jaw and supporting structures. This disorder is a subgroup of Orofacial Pain Disorder that includes many different types of pain in the head and neck. The Temporomandibular Joint itself is located directly in front of the ear and is commonly called the "jaw joint". Common symptoms of Temporomandibular disorders are pain or discomfort around the ear, jaw joints, facial muscles, headaches, temple pain, throat pain, pain with opening, chewing, locking of the jaws, limited opening, clicking, popping or grating noises.

TMD typically occurs because of a variety of factors, rarely is there only one single symptom or cause. Some factors include trauma to the face or jaw, arthritis, bruxism (grinding your teeth) or neck conditions. The most common cause is clenching/grinding your teeth. There are a variety of reasons people clench their teeth, so treating its cause is at the core of any treatment plan for the relief of pain. Any or all of these concerns can perpetuate TMD symptoms and should be addressed. TMD and Facial Pain are a chronic, degenerative condition that must be managed to reduce the aggravating factors. I would like to say there is a "quick fix", but that just isn't the case.

As far as headaches go, TMD is often a contributing factor and/or the cause of your pain. As I mentioned last week, there are many causes for headaches, but quite often TMD is an overlooked concern. The contraction of the facial muscles can produce a headache cycle that is sometimes difficult to stop, so the earlier the intervention, the better. Not only can the muscle contractions cause pain, they can also be the initial contributing factor for other types of headaches such as migraines.

Treatment for TMD depends on your symptoms and the different factors that are contributing to those symptoms. As with other musculoskeletal conditions, medication, physical therapy, behavioral modification or orthopedic appliances (bite splints) may be used for treatment. Depending on the underlying cause(s) they may be used alone or in combination with each other to achieve good function and a decrease in pain. In the long run, the most important factor to a healthy joint is movement and lubrication. The "oil" for the joints is called synovial fluid and is critical for long-term health. Without it and free movement, the joints can potentially develop arthritis and other internal breakdown of the joints. Next week I will give you some information on other symptoms of TMD and exactly what is involved with orthopedic appliance (bite splint) therapy. I hope you have an incredible week. As always send me your questions to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .