You may not have realized it before, but you have little triangular-shaped joints located in front of your ears. Lined with cartilage, these joints move with a smooth, gliding motion. Although they are small, these joints have a big job to do. They join your lower jaw and temporal bone, allowing your mouth to open and close easily.
Although these joints are incredibly strong, they can be thrown out of alignment very easily. The temporomandibular joint is highly sensitive to overall physical, emotional, and psychological stress, and the slightest change can temporarily knock you’re the whole system out of balance. The resulting condition is TMJ disorder, which can create a variety of symptoms, from jaw clicking and minor discomfort to sharp pain in your head, ears, neck, and shoulders. […]
