3 minute read
Word of mouth
She’s brightened up breakfast for millions but DJ Zoe Ball recently revealed the pain behind her smile.
Shortly before stepping down as host of Radio 2’s Breakfast Show, Zoe described on Instagram how her life has been affected by an agonising jaw condition called temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder.
Affecting one in 15 people in the UK*, TMJ can cause pain around the face, shoulders and even lead to back problems. In her Instagram post Zoe, who was on air by 6.30am, explained,
“I have TMJ and wake most days with awful headaches from tension and jaw clenching.”
Many of her 745k followers empathised.
The condition can restrict movement, making it difficult to chew or yawn, sometimes even causing the jaw to lock. More common in women, stress can make symptoms worse. The pain it causes can make it hard to sleep and many people are forced to adjust their lifestyle.
Helen Sayer, Dental Clinical Director for Mersey Care, explains that the condition is often a result of tension in the jaw muscles. “The jaw is a complicated part of the body.
“Stress induced behaviour like chewing pens, biting your nails and clenching your teeth, particularly in your sleep, can cause problems.
“Dentists can treat patients with a mouth guard to stop teeth grinding at night or by adjusting their ‘bite’ (the way someone’s teeth meet). Relaxation techniques or physiotherapy can also help.”
Mersey Care dental nurse Paula Taylor knows how TMJ can impact day to day life.
“I’ve lived with a ‘clicky jaw’ since I was 14. When I had a stressful job, I know I clenched my jaw in my sleep and at its worst I could only open my mouth a couple of centimetres wide. Going out for a meal was a nightmare – I was so self conscious and it got me down. Physio helped, I was determined that TMJ wouldn’t beat me.”
* Source - The Royal College of Surgeons
Symptoms of TMJ
Pain around your jaw, ear and temple
Clicking, popping or grinding noises when you move your jaw
Difficulty opening your mouth fully
Your jaw locking when you open your mouth.
Headaches
How is TMJ treated?
TMJ can be treated at home; the NHS recommends:
Eating soft food like pasta, omelettes and soup
Taking paracetamol or ibuprofen
Holding an ice pack or heat pack wrapped in a tea towel to the jaw
Massaging the painful jaw muscles
Finding ways to relax.
