The cause of some TMJ disorders can be traced to trauma from a severe blow to the jaw, degeneration of the joint, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or other forms of inflammation.
The causes of many cases of TMJ disorders, however, aren’t always clear. Some experts believe that responses to stress or anxiety may be a primary or contributing causal factor.
If you frequently clench your jaw when you’re stressed, irritated or concentrating, the muscles of the TMJ are kept in a contracted position — not unlike the discomfort you would probably feel if you flexed your biceps all day. Similarly, you may respond to tension or anxiety by grinding your teeth (bruxism). You may even clench your jaw or grind your teeth in your sleep without realizing it.
Other habits that overwork the jaw muscles, such as chewing on a pen or chewing gum, may exacerbate the pain of TMJ disorders.
Poor posture of the head, neck and shoulders — such as pushing your head forward or slouching while working at a computer — may put strain on the muscular and skeletal systems that are closely related to the jaw muscles and joints.
