Dizziness from TMJ Disorders: Causes and Treatments

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders are common and affect many people. You may experience many symptoms, including dizziness.

According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), approximately 12 million people in the United States have TMJ disorders (TMDs or also referred to as TMJDs).

TMDs are a group of conditions that affect the jaw joint and the muscles that control jaw movement. These disorders can be temporary or become long-term or chronic.

Trauma, arthritis, genetics, and other factors can cause TMDs. Common symptoms you may experience include:

• pain in the jaw area
• difficulty chewing or speaking
• clicking or popping in the jaw joint when opening and closing the mouth
• headaches

Other symptoms that are not uncommon include vertigo or dizziness, hearing loss, and ringing in the ear.

This article explores how TMDs are related to dizziness and vertigo. It examines what causes these conditions, their frequency, and other symptoms. It also discusses potential treatments and when to contact a doctor.

A 2018 report states that participants in various studies often reported tinnitus, hearing impairment, and vertigo with TMDs.

According to research from 2014, scientists do not fully know why TMJ disorders can lead to vertigo. However, the anatomy of the bones, muscles, and joints in the TMJ area could be the reason.

The researchers said one possibility is the poor positioning of one of the joints, the mandibular condyle. This could trigger earache, tinnitus, and vertigo.

Another possibility is sensitivity or hyperactivity in the chewing muscles, which can lead to contractions that cause dysfunction in the tubes that connect the ear to the nose. This could lead to an imbalance and hearing loss.

Vertigo is a sensation of spinning or swaying, while dizziness is a feeling of lightheadedness or imbalance. They can both lead to nausea or vomiting.

TMDs can vary, especially if you have any underlying conditions or have a bone or muscle structure that increases your symptoms. They are also more common in women between 35 and 44 years old than men or women of other age groups.

Other symptoms of TMDs include:

• difficulty chewing
• pain or tenderness in the jaw joint, neck and shoulders, or in or around the ear when you chew, speak, or open your mouth wide
• jaw discomfort, stiffness, or soreness
• headaches
• ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
• hearing loss
• clicking sounds when you open your mouth wide or close it
• feeling that your upper and lower teeth don’t fit together correctly when you bite down
• facial or neck pain

According to the 2014 research mentioned above, scientists observed that TMDs could increase the chances of having vertigo by 2.3 times. In practical terms, nearly 60% of participants with TMD also had vertigo, while 65% of participants with vertigo also had TMD.

Moreover, 50% of the participants who experienced facial pain also reported vertigo.

This suggests that dizziness is quite common with TMDs.

Since there are not many studies on dizziness caused by TMDs, you can look at treating both simultaneously. Home remedies and medical treatments are available.

Home remedies

Home remedies for TMDs include:

• Eating softer foods, such as soups, steamed vegetables, and fish. You may want to avoid hard foods like beef jerky, deep-fried food, and hard snacks.
• Applying heat or cold to your face while gently massaging and stretching your jaw muscles.
• Reducing nail biting, gum chewing, and jaw clenching.
• Taking over-the-counter medications, such as ibuprofen, aspirin, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Remedies for vertigo include:

• sleeping with your head raised on multiple pillows
• sitting on the bed before getting up
• avoiding extending your neck or bending down
• moving your head slowly during daily and physical activities

Medical treatment

Medical treatments and procedures for TMDs include:

• pain medications, such as NSAIDs
• antianxiety medications
• antidepressants
• antiseizure medications
• acupuncture and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)
• arthroscopy, or surgery to reposition the joint’s disk
• surgery to change your teeth or facial anatomy in cases of severe symptoms

Other treatments that may work but need more research to be conclusive include:

• oral placements, such as mouth guards, occlusal splints, and stabilization appliances
• dental procedures, such as grinding the teeth, using crowns, or changing your teeth positioning
• botulinum toxin (botox)
• specific injections into the TMJ area that trigger the body’s immune response to repair the joint

Medications that can help with vertigo include:

• vestibular rehabilitation training (VRT), which refers to exercises for people with dizziness to help with balancing
• drugs like prochlorperazine and antihistamines

Note:

If you take any of the above medications, speak with your doctor about how to take them and for how long. They can be addictive or lead to severe side effects.

Was this helpful?

If you’re experiencing dizziness or vertigo due to a TMD, talk with a doctor. Dizziness can be a symptom of many different conditions, so it’s crucial to have an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.

A doctor may recommend lifestyle changes like avoiding certain foods or activities that could be causing your symptoms. They may also suggest physical therapy or other treatments. In some cases, surgery may be necessary to correct the underlying problem.

If you cannot completely open or close your jaw or have persistent pain, talk with a doctor or dentist. They can help you understand why it’s happening and how to treat it.

TMDs have a vast range of symptoms, including dizziness or vertigo. There are numerous ways to treat both conditions, including home remedies, medications, and surgery.

If you have any persistent pain or frequent episodes of dizziness, it is essential that you speak with a doctor or dentist. They can provide a proper diagnosis and determine if you have a TMD or an underlying condition.

Dizziness from TMJ Disorders: Causes and Treatments

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders are common and affect many people. You may experience many symptoms, including dizziness.

According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), approximately 12 million people in the United States have TMJ disorders (TMDs or also referred to as TMJDs).

TMDs are a group of conditions that affect the jaw joint and the muscles that control jaw movement. These disorders can be temporary or become long-term or chronic.

Trauma, arthritis, genetics, and other factors can cause TMDs. Common symptoms you may experience include:

• pain in the jaw area
• difficulty chewing or speaking
• clicking or popping in the jaw joint when opening and closing the mouth
• headaches

Other symptoms that are not uncommon include vertigo or dizziness, hearing loss, and ringing in the ear.

This article explores how TMDs are related to dizziness and vertigo. It examines what causes these conditions, their frequency, and other symptoms. It also discusses potential treatments and when to contact a doctor.

A 2018 report states that participants in various studies often reported tinnitus, hearing impairment, and vertigo with TMDs.

According to research from 2014, scientists do not fully know why TMJ disorders can lead to vertigo. However, the anatomy of the bones, muscles, and joints in the TMJ area could be the reason.

The researchers said one possibility is the poor positioning of one of the joints, the mandibular condyle. This could trigger earache, tinnitus, and vertigo.

Another possibility is sensitivity or hyperactivity in the chewing muscles, which can lead to contractions that cause dysfunction in the tubes that connect the ear to the nose. This could lead to an imbalance and hearing loss.

Vertigo is a sensation of spinning or swaying, while dizziness is a feeling of lightheadedness or imbalance. They can both lead to nausea or vomiting.

TMDs can vary, especially if you have any underlying conditions or have a bone or muscle structure that increases your symptoms. They are also more common in women between 35 and 44 years old than men or women of other age groups.

Other symptoms of TMDs include:

• difficulty chewing
• pain or tenderness in the jaw joint, neck and shoulders, or in or around the ear when you chew, speak, or open your mouth wide
• jaw discomfort, stiffness, or soreness
• headaches
• ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
• hearing loss
• clicking sounds when you open your mouth wide or close it
• feeling that your upper and lower teeth don’t fit together correctly when you bite down
• facial or neck pain

According to the 2014 research mentioned above, scientists observed that TMDs could increase the chances of having vertigo by 2.3 times. In practical terms, nearly 60% of participants with TMD also had vertigo, while 65% of participants with vertigo also had TMD.

Moreover, 50% of the participants who experienced facial pain also reported vertigo.

This suggests that dizziness is quite common with TMDs.

Since there are not many studies on dizziness caused by TMDs, you can look at treating both simultaneously. Home remedies and medical treatments are available.

Home remedies

Home remedies for TMDs include:

• Eating softer foods, such as soups, steamed vegetables, and fish. You may want to avoid hard foods like beef jerky, deep-fried food, and hard snacks.
• Applying heat or cold to your face while gently massaging and stretching your jaw muscles.
• Reducing nail biting, gum chewing, and jaw clenching.
• Taking over-the-counter medications, such as ibuprofen, aspirin, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Remedies for vertigo include:

• sleeping with your head raised on multiple pillows
• sitting on the bed before getting up
• avoiding extending your neck or bending down
• moving your head slowly during daily and physical activities

Medical treatment

Medical treatments and procedures for TMDs include:

• pain medications, such as NSAIDs
• antianxiety medications
• antidepressants
• antiseizure medications
• acupuncture and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)
• arthroscopy, or surgery to reposition the joint’s disk
• surgery to change your teeth or facial anatomy in cases of severe symptoms

Other treatments that may work but need more research to be conclusive include:

• oral placements, such as mouth guards, occlusal splints, and stabilization appliances
• dental procedures, such as grinding the teeth, using crowns, or changing your teeth positioning
• botulinum toxin (botox)
• specific injections into the TMJ area that trigger the body’s immune response to repair the joint

Medications that can help with vertigo include:

• vestibular rehabilitation training (VRT), which refers to exercises for people with dizziness to help with balancing
• drugs like prochlorperazine and antihistamines

Note:

If you take any of the above medications, speak with your doctor about how to take them and for how long. They can be addictive or lead to severe side effects.

Was this helpful?

If you’re experiencing dizziness or vertigo due to a TMD, talk with a doctor. Dizziness can be a symptom of many different conditions, so it’s crucial to have an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.

A doctor may recommend lifestyle changes like avoiding certain foods or activities that could be causing your symptoms. They may also suggest physical therapy or other treatments. In some cases, surgery may be necessary to correct the underlying problem.

If you cannot completely open or close your jaw or have persistent pain, talk with a doctor or dentist. They can help you understand why it’s happening and how to treat it.

TMDs have a vast range of symptoms, including dizziness or vertigo. There are numerous ways to treat both conditions, including home remedies, medications, and surgery.

If you have any persistent pain or frequent episodes of dizziness, it is essential that you speak with a doctor or dentist. They can provide a proper diagnosis and determine if you have a TMD or an underlying condition.

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Temporomandibular joint dysfunctions (TMJ) occupy a special place among diseases of the dental profile. This is due to its functional and anatomical features, as well as the complexity of the clinical picture and differential diagnosis. Joint pathology may resemble other diseases that are the responsibility of psychiatrists, otolaryngologists, neurologists and oncologists.

According to various sources, TMJ dysfunctions occur in 25-65% of the population, among boys and adolescents – in 15-30%. The prevalence of pathology is associated with a high load to which the joint is exposed during life. He is constantly involved in conversation, yawning, chewing, facial movements. In terms of strength, only the knee joint can compete with it. Another reason for frequent violations of the anatomical formation is the complexity of its structure.

The temporomandibular joint is the only paired joint in the human body, in which movements are carried out only synchronously. It is formed by the fossa and tubercle of the temporal bone above and the head of the mandible below. The anatomical formation is surrounded by the articular capsule, it is strengthened by the ligamentous apparatus. Movements in a healthy joint are carried out in three planes. Tendons and chewing muscles also take part in the work of the lower jaw. If all these structures function normally, a person does not experience pain and discomfort during her movements.

Disorders of the TMJ can be the result of pathology of the joint itself and masticatory muscles, congenital deformities of the occlusion and facial skeleton, as well as the consequence of improper treatment by the dentist.

The main causes of TMJ diseases

• Injuries (fractures of the facial bones and jaw, excessive opening of the mouth).
• The action of mechanical factors (eating coarse food).
• Endocrine, metabolic and systemic disorders.
• Infectious diseases.
• Physical and emotional stress.
• Bad habits (nail biting).
• Congenital defects of the maxillofacial apparatus.
• Inadequate dental treatment (dental filling, prosthetics, treatment with braces, etc.).

Symptoms of TMJ pathology

• Soreness and spasms in the muscles of the face.
• Clicking and crunching in the joint when chewing and yawning.
• Pain and ringing in the ears, hearing loss on the affected side.
• Swelling and redness of the skin in the area of ​​the joint.
• Enlarged submandibular lymph nodes.
• Joint deformity.
• Dizziness, headaches.
• General malaise, fever.

The most popular types of diseases of the temporomandibular joint

• Dislocation of the joint. It is characterized by a displacement of the head of the lower jaw relative to the temporal fossa. It can be one-sided or two-sided, front or back. The main cause of pathology is trauma. Dislocation is manifested by pain in the joint when opening the mouth, the inability to close the mouth. Other symptoms are slurred speech and excessive salivation.
• Internal disorders of the joint. Associated with displacement of the intra-articular disc and damage to the ligaments and joint capsule. A symptom of the disease is difficulty in jaw movements, accompanied by pain and clicks in the TMJ.
• Arthritis. An inflammatory disease that is characterized by pain and difficulty in jaw movements. Soft tissues in this area become edematous, the skin over the joint turns red. Local and general body temperature increased.
• Arthrosis. The disease is characterized by a protracted course with a gradual progression of the disease and deformation of the articular surfaces. To cure it, you should pay attention to the following symptoms in a timely manner: difficulty in lower jaw movements (stiffness, stiffness), which is accompanied by pain and crunching. The occurrence of arthrosis is provoked by inflammatory diseases and metabolic disorders.
• Musculo-articular dysfunction. The basis of the disease is a violation of the closing of the teeth, caused by malocclusion or trauma. A common cause of musculo-articular dysfunction is untimely or incorrect dental prosthetics, as well as inadequate orthodontic treatment. Other causes of the disease are endocrine and metabolic disorders, stress, bruxism. As a result of these processes, well-coordinated work and the correct anatomical ratio of the masticatory muscles and joint components are disrupted.
• Two variants of dysfunction are known: with and without painful sensations in the masticatory muscles. In the second case, the pain is unilateral and persistent. It can be localized in the parotid, buccal, temporal and other areas of the face and give to the teeth, ear, tongue, hard palate. The pain increases during chewing, head movements, hypothermia and is removed for a while after taking painkillers. Other symptoms include restriction in the movements of the lower jaw, a feeling of numbness, facial asymmetry, clicks when the joint works.

Treatment

In the event of joint dysfunction, seek immediate medical attention. Diseases of this group are treated by maxillofacial surgeons who have received appropriate training and experience in this field. If necessary, they involve other doctors – orthodontists, orthopedic dentists, psychotherapists, neurologists, otolaryngologists, general orthopedists.

If TMJ disease is suspected, it does not make sense to contact dentists in public institutions and private clinics. Specialists of this profile are engaged in the treatment of teeth and oral cavity and are not entitled to provide assistance to patients with joint diseases.

Before you trust a doctor who has taken up TMJ therapy, find out if he has the necessary diplomas and qualifications, how long he has been dealing with this problem and what are the results of his activities.

All disorders of the temporomandibular joint are treated comprehensively: specialists use conservative and surgical methods, including physiotherapy, neurological and psychotherapeutic treatment, surgical interventions, and various options for orthodontic correction.

For an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment, seek the help of an arthrologist.

What is TMJ dysfunction and what can be done about it?

Temporomandibular joints, compared to other joints in our body, are hardly subjected to the heaviest load. And the fact that we use them very often and there is no need to remember. Therefore, violations of the functions of these joints occur very often. Today we’ll talk about how these violations manifest themselves and what problems they can cause.

What is TMJ dysfunction?

There are two TMJs in humans, they are located on both sides of the head and connect the lower jaw with the temporal bone of the skull. Each joint consists of an articular head and a temporal fossa in which the head is located. The articular disc located between them reduces the friction force. The joint is set in motion by the muscles that are adjacent on all sides of it.

Under normal conditions, all elements work synchronously, at one point in time, therefore, when opening or closing the mouth, we do not hear any extraneous sounds. However, if the elements of the joint are displaced or damaged, the movements cease to be synchronous and TMJ dysfunction occurs. One joint or two can be affected.

Signs of TMJ dysfunction

There may be several of them:

• chewing muscles are constrained, this sensation intensifies in the evening;
• teeth do not seem to fit properly, as if they no longer fit together;
• aching pains appear in the facial area;
• pain also occurs in or around the ears;
• the patient cannot open his mouth wide.

Much less common are symptoms such as dizziness, neck pain, numbness in the fingers, pain in the arm or back.

What could be causing the problem?

Most often, the exact cause cannot be determined. Scientists prefer to believe that TMJ dysfunction occurs under the influence of several factors from this list:

• chewing muscles are overloaded;
• the patient is injured in the neck, head or jaw;
• osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis of the TMJ;
• the articular disc has shifted;
• malocclusion observed;
• lack of teeth in a row, due to which the load is distributed unevenly;
• a crown, prosthesis and even a filling were placed incorrectly;
• due to incorrect posture, the muscles of the neck and face are constantly tense;
• fibromyalgia (chronic musculoskeletal pain), certain autoimmune and connective tissue diseases.

TMJ dysfunction can sometimes be confused with other diseases. Therefore, it would be best to contact a dentist to conduct an examination and, if necessary, prescribe additional examinations.

How to treat?

The process of treating TMJ dysfunction will depend on the identified causes. In case of malocclusion, improperly installed structures, a dentist who has the necessary skills and knowledge in the field of gnathology helps.

If the patient suffers from bruxism (or involuntary grinding of teeth), a mouth guard is made and worn at night. This allows you to slightly reduce the load on the teeth and muscles.

Health problems are solved with medication, after examination by a doctor. For severe pain, analgesics may be prescribed.

To reduce the load, the patient is advised to give up solid food, relax the muscles of the face and neck with the help of special exercises, give up the bad habit of biting a pencil or nails.

If you experience pain, make an appointment with your doctor right away and until that appointment, follow a soft diet, take painkillers (no more than three days), and apply cold or warm compresses to the diseased areas.