Why to Not Rely on Pain Relievers to Treat TMJ Disorder

When someone stubs their toe, they recoil back in pain. Similarly, when a kid touches a hot stove, they quickly pull their hand back. Our instincts tell us to avoid pain immediately as a reflex. But that sequence doesn’t work so well for more complicated types of pain. Severe jaw discomfort like in the case of TMJ disorder can’t be remedied by just avoiding more pain. The equivalent in this scenario is painkillers, and we shouldn’t rely on them to treat TMJ disorder.

How Pain Relievers Work

The major reason we shouldn’t rely on pain relievers to solve our problems is that they don’t actually solve them, they cover them up. Pain relievers work with your cells, nerve endings, nervous system, and brain to keep you from feeling pain. When cells are damaged, say when you stub your toe or burn your hand, cells release chemicals called prostaglandins to spread the message to the brain and protect you. Most pain relievers work to disrupt this cycle so you don’t feel it as much.

TMD Pain

Disorders like TMD (temporomandibular joint disorder) are rooted in a dysfunction of the jaw joint. Some of the symptoms associated with TMJ disorder often include:

• Chronic headaches
• Generalized facial pain
• Ear, eye, and nasal pressure/pain
• Tinnitus and vertigo
• Neck and backaches

TMD is recognized by these symptoms and until the jaw joint is treated, they’ll often get worse. Treating TMD pains with pain relievers can make your symptoms feel slightly for a while, but know that while you’re trying to make the pain go away the disorder is likely getting worse.

Why Are Painkillers Not a Good Long-Term Treatment for TMD?

As mentioned above, pain relievers can be beneficial for temporary symptom relief. But when it comes to chronic pain, they only dampen the body’s warning signal that something is wrong.

In the case of TMD, many patients experience pain as a result of increased tension on their jaw. Their underdeveloped jaws have failed to create enough space for their teeth to all grow in comfortably and so those teeth are forced to push into each other and create painful pressure. The pain people from TMD then are their bodies warning them that there isn’t enough room for their teeth. Masking this pain doesn’t create more space resolving the cause of the pain, only the warning signal.

Additionally, long term pain reliever use can also cause harmful side effects which vary based on the medication but can spell unforeseen long term health consequences.

A Better Treatment Plan

For more information about healthier, more effective treatment options for TMJ disorder contact Dr. David Buck’s office at 425-361-7499.