Supplements For Tmd And Tmj

Your temporomandibular joint, or TMJ for short, is located on the side of your face and head, and it allows you to open and close your jaw. Temporomandibular disorders, or TMD for short, may affect both your TMJ joint and the muscles that control this joint's movements. In most cases, the cause of TMJ dysfunction is unknown. Dietary supplements may help TMD. Before using supplements for this condition, however, discuss the health implications of supplements with your doctor.

TMJ Problems

TMJ problems, states Mayo Clinic, are usually characterized by tenderness and may affect your ability to chew, talk or yawn. In some cases, TMJ problems may be caused by physical stress on the structures that compose or surround your TMJ, including the cartilage disc within your TMJ joints, jaw, face or neck muscles, ligaments, blood vessels, nerves and teeth. Stress, tooth grinding, orthodontic braces and a bad bite may all be contributing factors in this condition.

Appropriate Supplements

Certain herbal and non-herbal dietary supplements may help your TMJ problems, although more scientific testing may be warranted to examine the true effectiveness of these natural remedies. Calcium and magnesium, chondroitin and glucosamine sulfate, MSM, vitamin B complex, and SAMe may be helpful non-herbal supplements, notes Phyllis A. Balch, a nutrition researcher and author of "Prescription for Nutritional Healing." Appropriate herbal supplements for this condition may include boswellia, valerian and feverfew.

Supplement in Focus

S-adenosylmethionine, or SAMe, is a commonly prescribed dietary supplement in the treatment of TMJ problems. Balch notes that a SAMe deficiency may cause an inability to support cartilage properly and that taking SAMe helps reduce pain and inflammation -- two symptoms that often accompany TMJ problems. SAMe, states the University of Maryland Medical Center, has traditionally been used for treating osteoarthritis, depression, fibromyalgia, liver disease, a weak immune system and Parkinson's disease.

Disclaimer

In many cases, TMJ dysfunction can be difficult to treat and may remain problematic for many months or years, even with treatment. The best approach to treating TMJ problems is a multi-modal approach that incorporates manual medicine techniques, dietary supplements and other, more conventional therapies. Supplements may be helpful for treating your TMJ problems, but you should always review dosage, possible side effects and potential drug interactions with your primary healthcare provider beforehand.