Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome Clinical Presentation

  • Author: Vivian Tsai; Chief Editor: Rick Kulkarni, MD   more...
 
Updated: Jan 13, 2012
 

History

  • Symptoms of temporomandibular joint syndrome
    • Chronic pain in the muscles of mastication described as a dull ache, typically unilateral
    • Pain may radiate to the ear and jaw and is worsened with chewing
    • Locking of the jaw when attempting to open the mouth
    • Ear clicking or popping, usually when displacement of the articular disk is present
    • Headache and/or neck ache: In some cases, patients may complain of headache without localized pain in the temporomandibular joint.
    • A bite that feels uncomfortable or different from usual
    • Neck, shoulder, and back pain
    • Bruxism, teeth clenching
    • Increasing pain over the course of the day
    • History of jaw and/or facial trauma
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Physical

  • Limitation of jaw opening (normal range is at least 40 mm as measured from lower to upper anterior teeth)
  • Palpable spasm of facial muscles (masseter and internal pterygoid muscles)
  • Unilateral facial swelling
  • Clicking or popping in the TMJ
  • Tenderness to palpation of the TMJ via the external auditory meatus (the tips of the fingers placed behind the tragi at each external acoustic meatus and pulled forward while the patient opens the jaw)
  • Crepitus over joint (in advanced disease)
  • Lateral deviation of mandible
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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Vivian Tsai  MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Queens Hospital Center

Vivian Tsai is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Emergency Physicians, and Phi Beta Kappa

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Richard H Sinert, DO  Professor of Emergency Medicine, Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, Research Director, State University of New York College of Medicine; Consulting Staff, Department of Emergency Medicine, Kings County Hospital Center

Richard H Sinert, DO is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Physicians and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Steven M Heffer, MD  Consulting Staff, Department of Emergency Medicine, Greenwich Hospital

Steven M Heffer, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Jerome FX Naradzay, MD, FACEP  Medical Director, Consulting Staff, Department of Emergency Medicine, Maria Parham Hospital; Medical Examiner, Vance County, North Carolina

Jerome FX Naradzay, MD, FACEP is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD  Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Medscape Salary Employment

Gino A Farina, MD, FACEP, FAAEM  Associate Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine; Program Director, Department of Emergency Medicine, Long Island Jewish Medical Center

Gino A Farina, MD, FACEP, FAAEM is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

John D Halamka, MD, MS  Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Chief Information Officer, CareGroup Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School; Attending Physician, Division of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

John D Halamka, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Rick Kulkarni, MD  Attending Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, Cambridge Health Alliance, Division of Emergency Medicine, Harvard Medical School

Rick Kulkarni, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Association, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: WebMD Salary Employment

Additional Contributors

The authors and editors of Medscape Reference gratefully acknowledge the contributions of previous author, Joshua Parnes, MD, to the development and writing of this article.

References

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