TMJ Disorder, often called just "TMJ", " TMD" or " TMJD" is a collection of conditions characterized by pain and/or dysfunction of the jaw, temporomandibular joint ( "TMJ" or "TM joint", and surrounding tissues. TMJD affects women significantly more often than men, approximately 4-1, and is especially prevalent in young adults, i.e. women aged 20-40 years. About 10% of the TMJD sufferers develop limited jaw range-of-motion or trismus.
Some injuries and other conditions like arthritis, scleroderma, fibromyalgia, cancer, and congenital defects can affect the TM joint, and are discussed in other pages.
Other condiditons that can mimic symptoms of TMJD include Dystonia, Temporal Arteritis, and Trigeminal Neuralgia. Dystonia is a movement disorder causing constant or spasmadic contractions of the muscles. Temporal Arteritis is an inflamation of the artery running over the temply next to the eye, and occurs most-commonly in people over 60. Trigeminal neuralgia is caused by interaction between a blood vessel and a nerve at the base of the brain. Trigeminal neuralgia is often triggered by touch and causes temporary sharp, stabbing pains, and not aching or throbbing pain.
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