TMJ Specialist
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RestWell
Board Certified Sleep Medicine & Addiction Specialist located in Wake Forest, NC
If jaw pain is disrupting your quality of life, you should know that there are effective treatments available that can alleviate your discomfort. At RestWell in Wake Forest, North Carolina, Jamila Battle, MD, and her team can diagnose and treat TMJ disorders to help you get rid of jaw pain for good. If you’re finally ready to experience TMJ relief, call the office or book online today.
TMJ Q & A
What is TMJ?
TMJ is short for temporomandibular joint, but it has come to also stand for the joint and muscle disorders that can affect the joint.
TMJ is more common in women than men, and it affects more than 10 million Americans. It’s a group of conditions that cause dysfunction and pain in your jaw joint and the muscles surrounding it.
What causes TMJ?
Various factors can cause TMJ and the painful symptoms associated with it, including:
- Jaw dislocation
- Injury
- Arthritis
- Teeth grinding
- Malocclusion
- Family history of TMJ
In some cases, the underlying cause of TMJ is unclear.
What are the symptoms of TMJ?
Jaw pain is the primary symptom of TMJ. Other symptoms you might experience when you have TMJ include:
- Locking of your jaw
- Facial pain
- Neck pain
- Difficulty chewing
- Pain while chewing
- Pain near your ear
- Jaw tenderness
- A popping sound when opening and closing your mouth
- Jaw muscle stiffness
Before your appointment at RestWell, it’s helpful to prepare a list of symptoms you’re experiencing so you can discuss them with Dr. Battle.
How is TMJ diagnosed?
When you visit RestWell with concerns about TMJ, Dr. Battle conducts a comprehensive health history and physical to make an accurate medical diagnosis.
During your exam, she asks detailed questions about your symptoms, dental and medical history, and performs a physical, paying close attention to the structure and movement of your jaw.
Dr. Battle may request your dental records or run CT scans or an MRI if she suspects a problem. You may also require TMJ arthroscopy to confirm a diagnosis.
She may also recommend a sleep study to evaluate your body movement while you sleep to assess for jaw clenching or teeth grinding, which may cause TMJ.
What is the treatment for TMJ?
Various treatments can alleviate the pain and unpleasant symptoms associated with TMJ.
Dr. Battle develops individualized TMJ treatment plans based on the severity of your symptoms. In many cases, the pain from TMJ resolves on its own.
If needed, Dr. Battle may prescribe medication to help alleviate your pain, such as an anti-inflammatory or muscle relaxer.
She also offers oral appliances you wear while you sleep, which may help stop the grinding and clenching of the jaw and joint, which may be the underlying cause of your jaw pain.
Dr. Battle may also recommend physical therapy and/or counseling.
TMJ is a fairly common health condition, but that doesn’t mean you have to suffer. When you’re ready to ease jaw pain and dysfunction that hinders your quality of life, call RestWell to schedule an appointment with Dr. Battle or book an appointment online today.
If you are seeking telemedicine services for a sleep issue you’re ready to put to bed then, please send us a message in the Klara message box to learn more.
Please request an appointment through the “request appointment” button then fill out the patient intake form, which is available in the Klara portal upon request. Upon completion of an intake, the doctor will either offer an appointment if your sleep issue is appropriate for her virtual practice or she will make recommendations for in person practices.
