Can TMJ Disorder Cause Sinus Issues? 

If you've ever felt jaw pain or are already suffering from TMJ disorder, you might have experienced a pressure-like sensation in your sinus area. Like many of your patients who ask this question, we assume you have a similar one in your head. Can TMJ disorder cause sinus issues? It's a valid question, and we are here to answer it. So, let's break it down!

What Is TMJ?

We are sure you have heard this word a lot, especially from your dentist. TMJ is a simpler version of a complex medical terminology used for a jaw joint, called "Temporomandibular Joint". If you notice only your lower jaw can move in your whole face, have you ever wondered why and how?

So, there is a joint of bones in front of your ears formed by the fusion of two bones. One in your skull (immoveable) and one is your lower jaw head (moveable), which allows you to do all the complex movements like speaking, chewing, swallowing, and yawning. Problems with TMJ and it's surrounding structures can produce pain, stiffness, restricted movements, and tenderness, known as temporomandibular joint disorder. Can TMJ disorder cause sinus issues? Many wonder about this connection.

Common Symptoms of TMJ disorder:

Problematic TMJ symptoms include;

• Jaw muscles pain
• Neck pain
• Headache
• Ear-related symptoms
• Restricted jaw movement
• Pain and tenderness in the muscles around the jaw

And What Are Sinuses? 

These air-filled cavities inside your skull are required to produce a sticky substance called mucus to keep your nose healthy and clean. Sometimes, the opening of these sinuses can be obstructed, causing mucus to accumulate inside the cavity and harbor germs, resulting in infection, which is called sinusitis. This puts pressure inside the sinus so that the symptoms can feel like congestion, pressure, and pain in the sinus areas. Sinus infections are of two types; acute sinusitis (short-lasting) and chronic sinusitis (long-lasting). 

Symptoms of Sinusitis: 

Common symptoms include

• Nasal congestion or nasal obstruction
• Toothache specially in the upper jaw
• Pain and fullness
• Pressure related to position change

Connection Between TMJ and Sinus Pressure: The Overlapping Symptoms

After all the discussion, we are back to our question: How are these two related? The answer is NO! TMJ issues can't produce sinus problems. However, there is a connection between the TMJ and sinuses. Can TMJ disorder cause sinus issues? Not directly, but they do impact each other.

Due to the proximity of the TMJ and sinuses, they impact each other rather than producing the disease itself. For instance, your joint is very close to your maxillary sinus (present in your cheek region). When the muscles around the TMJ are inflamed, they affect the whole area and you can feel pressure on the sinuses. Ultimately, sinuses impact TMJ pain, and TMJ pain can worsen the symptoms of sinuses. 

Can TMJ Cause Sinus Infections?

So, it can produce sinus pain, but it can not produce infection inside your sinuses. As we have discussed before, for an infection to occur there must be a blockage inducing mucus accumulation, and by no means can a joint do that. So, Can TMJ Disorder Cause Sinus Issues? It can result in symptoms due to the close anatomical relationship but cannot directly cause sinus infections. 

What Can You Do? 

So, now you understand the whole thing. The next question is, what can you do about that? So, sinusitis and TMJ can often produce similar symptoms. You need a proper diagnosis for effective treatment. For that, you can visit us, and we will link you with our TMJ dentist, who can tell the difference and identify the underlying cause responsible for your symptoms. Can TMJ disorder cause sinus issues? Identifying the right condition is crucial for effective treatment.