TM joint

I've had jaw issues for 4 months now. A little mild pain and noisy, popping TM joint especially when I sleep. I had convinced myself that my TM joint was severly degenerated or that my colitis was causing extra-intestinal issues.

I finally went to a TMJ expert who x-rayed and examined me. Result: TM joint itself is fine. Chronic muscle tension in that area due to clenching brought on by stress and anxiety. He basically said your body has forgotten how to hold your facial muscles properly and how to relax them and the result is physical symptoms in that area.

He gave me lots of exercises and other mindfulness approaches. He said he wasn't going to prescribe pills or stints because the problem will truly only resolve itself when you learn how to relax.

It's nice to hear a health professional take a more measured mind-body approach. It does re-inforce for me just what anxiety can do and how it can present itself in so many strange ways in the body.