"If you've ever woken up with a sore jaw, experienced clicking sounds when you eat, or felt facial pain that won't quit, you're not alone. Temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD)-commonly called TMJ disorder-affects millions of people, but there's a striking pattern: women are three to nine times more likely to experience it than men, particularly during their reproductive years. What makes this disparity even more intriguing is the connection between TMJ and anxiety."
"When anxiety strikes, our bodies respond in ways we often don't consciously register. Tension builds. Muscles tighten. And for many people, especially women, this tension settles into the jaw. Think about it: When you're stressed, do you clench your teeth? Grind them at night? These unconscious responses to anxiety can wreak havoc on the temporomandibular joint, leading to pain in the ears, face, and chewing muscles, along with headaches, limited jaw movement, and those telltale clicking sounds."
Temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ) affects millions, with women three to nine times more likely than men, particularly during reproductive years. The temporomandibular joint is a complex connection between the jawbone and skull that is vulnerable to muscle tension. Anxiety and stress produce unconscious jaw clenching and increased muscle tension that often localize in the jaw. Symptoms include ear and facial pain, chewing-muscle pain, headaches, limited jaw movement, and clicking noises. Anxiety and TMJ form a feedback loop in which tension causes pain and pain amplifies anxiety about eating, talking, and daily activities. Evolutionary biology may help explain greater female susceptibility to anxiety-related conditions and related TMJ problems.
Read at Psychology Today
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