Abstract
People with EDS are prone to temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders (TMD) from prolonged or hyper-opening (such as occurs in surgery under general anesthesia), a blow to the head, face, or jaw, a “whiplash-”type injury, or even from insidious prolonged joint instability. Common symptoms include headache in the temples, the occiput (back of the head) or above the eyes, and less commonly pain over the lateral side of the jaw. TMD generates upper cervical muscle spasm, spasm in the levator scapulae (neck/shoulder) muscles and may present in a similar manner to several other types of headaches, including cervicogenic headache. MRI is the gold standard for diagnostic TMJ imaging, particularly for suspected articular disc derangement. Patients should be referred to experts in the field—orofacial pain specialists, dentists with a special interest in the TMJ, or oral surgeons. Treatment goals for TMD are usually focused on nonsurgical therapies. The reader is referred to chapters discussing headache, neck and shoulder pain, bobble head, dysphagia, and tinnitus for further discussion of the differential diagnosis.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
