TMJ symptoms include pain, “locking” of the jaw, headaches and often an inability to open and close the mouth properly, even to chew. When the “chewing muscles” and the jaw joint work incorrectly, your teeth don’t come together properly, and the whole balance of your jaw is thrown off. You might feel your jaw popping or locking. This imbalance causes the muscles to cramp or go into spasms. This results in a cycle of damage, pain and tenderness. Because of the many nerves in this area of the body, TMJ disorder can cause debilitating pain and headaches.
Take a look at our TMJ symptom checklist here: TMJ Symptom Checklist