Can TMJ / TMD Affect Other Parts Of Your Body?
When you think about temporomandibular joint dysfunction or TMJ, it’s common to only think about jaw pain. However, if you look in a medical book, you will notice that the jaw muscles connect to the head, shoulder, neck, back, and chest, so everything is connected. Since many Davidsville and Johnstown patients ask, Can TMJ / TMD Affect Other Parts Of Your Body?, our dentists, Drs. Ernest and Rocco Mantini have provided more information on how TMJ can affect your body.
Areas of the Body Affected by TMJ
Forward Head Posture
The most common issue correlated with your TMJ is forward head posture, and there is no escape from this. Everyone with TMJ has a forward head posture. If one shoulder/hip is higher and more out in front, it can cause a postural twist.
If the lower jaw is not properly in place, muscle attachments to the jaw are all shortened with an improper range of motion. That’s a lot of muscle dysfunction daily in the jaw, neck, back, chest, and so on. As a result, you cannot breathe fully through your diaphragm, which reduces your oxygen intake by around 30%.
Human body posture is a series of curves. These curves include the neck or cervical curve, sacral curve, and thoracic–lumbar curve. These different curves act as “springs” to absorb shock. In functional or normal muscle, the disc/vertebrae help support the posture correctly.
Eyes
The TMJ disorder can cause severe eye discomfort due to the inflammation surrounding facial nerves. More specifically, the trigeminal nerve is affected since it is connected to the jaw muscles and the eyes.
Ears
If the TMJ is under any stress, inflammation can cause the Eustachian tubes within the ear to become blocked. This inflammation can lead to both earaches or even hearing loss.
Back, Neck, and Shoulders
Since the temporomandibular joint is connected to other muscles, these muscles sometimes try to compensate for the lack of force/effort that the TMJ can provide. Because of this, the strain can lead to a misalignment of the neck, back, and shoulders.
Schedule An Free TMJ / TMD Evaluation Today!
Contact Ernest J. Mantini, DMD & Rocco Mantini, DMD at (814) 479-4525 (Davidsville) or (814) 536-4804 (Johnstown) to schedule a personalized TMD consultation at one of our dental offices. For more information on, Can TMJ / TMD Affect Other Parts Of Your Body?, call our office today to talk with one of our dentists. Dr. Ernest Mantini has successfully treated patients for TMJ / TMD from Davidsville, Johnstown, Somerset, Portage, Ebensburg, Bedford, PA, and many surrounding areas.