TMJ disorders

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Skull of an adult

Causes of secondary headache

TMJ disorders

Alternative Names:

TMD; Temporomandibular joint disorders
Prevention:
Many of the home-care steps to treat TMJ problems can prevent such problems in the first place:

Maintain good posture, especially if you work all day at a computer. Pause frequently to change position, rest your hands and arms, and relieve stressed muscles.
Learn relaxation techniques to reduce overall stress and muscle tension.
Avoid eating hard foods and chewing gum.
Drink plenty of water every day and get plenty of sleep.
Use safety measures to reduce the risk of fractures and dislocations.

References:

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American Dental Association. TMD/TMJ (temporomandibular disorders). Available at: http://www.ada.org/public/topics/tmd_tmj.asp.

Lobbezoo F. Topical review: new insights into the pathology and diagnosis of disorders of the temporomandibular joint. J Orofac Pain. 2004; 18(3): 181-191.

Simons DC, Travell JG. Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual. Vol. 1. Upper Half of the Body. 2nd Ed. Atlanta, GA: Emory University;1998.