If you're one of those who experience severe TMJ disorder, then you may be among the thousands of patients seeking chiropractic care for TMJ in Trinity. You might also be wondering if the pain has something to do with your sex. After all, studies have shown that women experience TMJ disorder more frequently than men. So, why exactly is the cause of this trend? More importantly, how can female patients seek relief?
To help you understand why women experience TMJ disorder more than men, we will highlight three reasons linked to this condition:
Women are more likely to feel anxiety and stress than men. And you probably know by now that stress is a significant contributing factor to TMJ disorder. When you feel stressed, you sometimes unconsciously clench your jaw and grind your teeth in your sleep. Magnesium deficiencies are also linked to TMJ disorder and are common in women.
Studies explain that when patients feel stressed, there is an increase in magnesium loss, and magnesium deficiency makes you more susceptible to stress because it can't help regulate stress levels efficiently.
You can try improving your magnesium levels by incorporating magnesium-rich foods into your diet, including green leafy vegetables, bananas, nuts, or supplements. You may also want to practice stress-relieving habits such as yoga, meditation, or journaling to reduce stress levels.
Men and women differ in their physical structure; hence there are health conditions that women may be more susceptible to and vice versa. For TMJ disorder, the difference in bone structure and muscle density, particularly the jaw bones, contributes to the reality that more women suffer from this disorder. Men have longer upper jaw bones, broader and thicker, which is the opposite of women.
This physical aspect is beyond your control. As a result, you can avoid the development of TMJ disorder by being more conscious in utilizing your jaw bones. Avoid straining your jaw by skipping food items that are hard to bite and chew.
We all know there is a significant difference between male and female hormones. With a high number of TMJ disorders in women, the lady hormones estrogen might be the culprit. Some studies suggest high estrogen levels can increase the prevalence of TMJ disorder.
Women have estrogen receptors in the jaw, and researchers believe this interferes with pain signals and the hormone regulation process when misalignment occurs. This can make some women feel painful, severe symptoms of TMJ.
An imbalanced amount of progesterone can also negatively impact a woman's bone, collagen, cartilage, and specific proteins in the body. Add the fact that women experience fluctuating levels of hormones due to their anatomy. Estrogen can help fight pain, so lower levels of these hormones can make you experience more pain, such as TMJ disorder symptoms.
Besides the natural changes in a woman's body, contraceptives can also disrupt hormone production and release. So, suppose you're taking contraceptives and have been showing signs of pain linked to a TMJ disorder. In that case, you must consult your gynecologist about the possibility of having a hormonal imbalance before you seek chiropractic care for TMJ in Trinity.
To make it easier for you to initially identify if what you're experiencing is TMJ disorder and not other conditions, we have prepared a list of the primary symptoms of this disorder for you. Those who are in pursuit of chiropractic care for TMJ in Trinity may be familiar with these symptoms. But if you aren't certain, we encourage you to seek a doctor's advice before pursuing any form of relief.
This might be the most common sign of a TMJ disorder that most patients seeking chiropractic care for TMJ in Trinity complain about. Jaw joint pain can stem from arthritis or other degenerative changes. When the muscles that help control the jaw start causing pain, you may be clenching or grinding your teeth unconsciously. Your TMJ pain may stem from the joints or muscles attached to the jaw that supports its movements.
If you suddenly start hearing sounds from the temporomandibular joint when you engage them, it can mean two things - one is a sign of a TMJ disorder, and the other may be a pain-free clicking of the jaw.
The jaw joint can make different sounds depending on what movements you do. For example, when you move your jaw sideways, it produces a grinding sound. On the one hand, if you open or close your jaw, you may hear clicking sounds (which can sometimes stem from the momentary displacement of the articular disc). Meanwhile, if you have TMJ disorder, you will likely hear popping sounds and feel discomfort and pain.
You may find it challenging to open your mouth fully when you have a TMJ disorder. Unfortunately, this might affect how you chew your food, yawn, and even talk. These mundane movements will suddenly feel challenging to do, and they might cause you significant stress and discomfort.
In addition, you may have moments when your jaws lock because your articular disc shifts out of its position. Unfortunately, this can hinder you from moving your jaw to its normal alignment. Don't let that happen to you. Instead, consult and seek chiropractic care for TMJ in Trinity to deal with your symptoms immediately.
Some TMJ disorder patients experience reflective pain or referred pain. This is when you experience pain at a different location apart from the primary source or origin of your pain. For TMJ patients, there may be the presence of toothache, facial pain, earache, headache, or even neck pain. That's because the jaw is proximal to the upper part of your spine.
If you're struggling with TMJ, you can take comfort in knowing that relief is possible. Regardless of your sex you are a man or woman; you can take advantage of upper cervical chiropractic care. If your TMJ issues do not go away after simple regimens such as using ice therapy or eating softer food, it may be worth it to tap into upper cervical care.
It's also essential to assess and tackle the root cause to ensure no recurrence. It's not usual for people to consider neck bone misalignment as a critical factor in causing TMJ pain. However, some studies have found that TMJ disorder can develop due to shifting the C1 and C2 vertebrae. The postural imbalance can impact adjacent bones, muscles, and tissues, prompting discomfort and pain that can worsen over time.
When your atlas (C1) vertebra misaligns, it can directly influence the position of your jaw and the function of the muscle group that controls the jaw movement.
Dr. Dustin Dingus is a licensed upper cervical chiropractor who can provide chiropractic care for TMJ in Trinity. He studies each case carefully to provide patients like you an opportunity to achieve long-term relief. He is highly skilled and trained to correct the alignment of your upper cervical spine through a safe, unique, and gentle method that will eventually help your body heal naturally on its own.
While your body heals, your TMJ discomfort and painful symptoms can slowly disappear and even be eliminated. To better understand the process and mechanisms of holistic healing, you can book an appointment with Dr. Dingus. Kindly call 727-514-8532 or fill out this online form to schedule your consultation.
To schedule a consultation with Dr. Dingus, call our Trinity office at 727-610-6036. You can also click the button below.
If you are outside of the local area you can find an Upper Cervical Doctor near you at www.uppercervicalawareness.com.
