As a provider of TMJ treatment in Beverly Hills I see many people suffering from chronic pain. Chronic pain has the potential to be a seriously debilitating condition that brings life to a screeching halt and because the pain from TMJ problems can mimic other health problems some people suffer for years before finding the true source of their pain.
Just how bad is TMJ and other facial pain? In a recent 51 month long study presented at the 2012 World Congress on Pain in Milan, Italy, it was found that patients suffering from chronic orofacial pain are more likely to be debilitated by their condition than those with chronic backaches and headaches. Just what is orofacial pain? This is pain that affects any of the areas of the head, neck and face.
A common source of orofacial pain is the jaw joint (temporomandibular joint). The temporomandibular joint is also commonly called TMJ.
The study looked at 262 consecutive new patients who were given pain and psychosocial questionnaires, including the Graded Chronic Pain Scale (GCPS). Of the patient pool, 105 had temporomandibular disorders,10 had dental pain and the others had varying forms of facial pain problems.
I’m not surprised at the results. TMJ disorder patients showed the highest proportions of grades I and II pain. Grade II pain is pain that limits your life but is not considered disabling. About 50% of the patients experienced even higher levels of pain – grades III and IV. When these results were compared to those from another study focusing on chronic headaches and chronic backaches, it was clear that chronic orofacial pain was worse. The head/back pain study revealed that only 30% of patients suffered from grade III and IV pain.
There are plans to study a larger sample of patients in the future, but for now these results suggest that orofacial pain can have “a significant impact on patient’s lives, affecting their normal daily activities, ability to work and causing marked disability.”
If you have been experiencing headaches, jaw or face pain, neck pain or even pain and discomfort in your ears it could be related to your jaw joint. Please contact Beverly Hills cosmetic dentist Dr. David Frey at 310-276-4537 today to schedule your TMJ consultation.
