TMJ or Fibromyalgia?

Head pain, also known as orefacial pain, is one of the most common symptoms to drive people to the doctor, second only to back pain. In the event that someone is experiencing head pain, the family doctor should first be contacted; if the doctor can’t find the cause for the discomfort the patient’s dentist should be contacted next.

There are many ailments that can cause head pain including temporomandibular disorders (TMD) which is known to cause the majority of cases, the most prevalent type is temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and those that suffer from TMJ complain of migraines and acute sinus pain. 

It’s easy to misdiagnose TMJ because the migraines and sinus pain can also be associated with many other ailments such as fibromyalgia. More tell tale signs of TMJ include difficulty chewing, clicking, popping or grating sound when opening and closing mouth, inability to close mouth, earaches, and dizziness. Fibromyalgia is a chronic musculoskeletal pain and disorder also known for causing fatigue it includes but is not limited to pain in the ligaments, tendons, and muscles. Approximately 3 to 6 percent of Americans have symptoms pointing to fibromyalgia.

TMJ and fibromyalgia can produce the same excruciating symptoms in the neck, back, shoulders, face and head. If untreated TMJ can cause tooth loss which can cause havoc on the rest of your teeth, your bite, and overall dental health. If you are suffering from any of this pain it is best to contact your doctors and dentist.