Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Syndrome Glossary of Terms

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Abnormal: Outside the expected norm, or uncharacteristic of a particular patient.

Acetaminophen: A nonaspirin pain reliever or analgesic. Acetaminophen may be given alone t...

Aging: The process of becoming older, a process that is genetically determined and environ...

Anesthesia: Loss of feeling or awareness, as when an anesthetic is administered before sur...

Arthritis: Inflammation of a joint. When joints are inflamed they can develop stiffness, w...

Aspirin: Once the Bayer trademark for acetylsalicylic acid, now the common name for this a...

Autoimmune: Pertaining to autoimmunity, a misdirected immune response that occurs when the...

Autoimmune disease: An illness that occurs when the body tissues are attacked by its own i...

Bruxism: Grinding and gnashing of the teeth. Bruxism is due to clenching of the teeth othe...

Cartilage: Firm, rubbery tissue that cushions bones at joints. A flexible kind of cartilag...

Compress: Cloth or another material applied under pressure to an area of the skin and held...

Cortisone: A naturally occurring adrenocorticoid hormone that is produced in minute amount...

Cure: 1. To heal, to make well, to restore to good health. 2. A time withou...

Degenerative joint disease: Also known as osteoarthritis, this type of arthritis is cause...

Diagnosis: 1 The nature of a disease; the identification of an illness. 2 A ...

Disc: Shortened terminology for an intervertebral disc, a disk-shaped piece of specialized...

Dizziness: Painless head discomfort with many possible causes including disturbances of ...

Dysfunction: Difficult function or abnormal function.

Ear: The hearing organ. There are three sections of the ear, according to the anatomy tex...

Emergency department: The department of a hospital responsible for the provision of medica...

Headache: A pain in the head with the pain being above the eyes or the ears, behind the he...

Ibuprofen: A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that is commonly used to treat pa...

Infection: The invasion and multiplication of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, an...

Inflammation: A localized reaction that produces redness, warmth, swelling, and pain as a ...

Injury: Harm or hurt. To harm, hurt, or wound. The word injure may be in physical or emot...

Jaw: The movable junction of the bones below the mouth (the mandible) and the bone just ab...

Jawbone: 1. As a noun, a bone of the jaw, particularly the mandible.
2....

Joint: The area where two bones are attached for the purpose of permitting body parts to m...

Mandible: The bone of the lower jaw. The joint where the mandible meets the upper jaw at t...

Medical history: 1. In clinical medicine, the patient's past and present which may ...

Mouth: 1. The upper opening of the digestive tract, beginning with the lips and con...

MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging.

Muscle: Muscle is the tissue of the body which primarily functions as a source of power. T...

Neck: The part of the body joining the head to the shoulders. Also, any narrow or constric...

Neck pain: Neck pain is the sensation of discomfort in the neck area. Neck pain can result...

Osteoarthritis: A type of arthritis caused by inflammation, breakdown, and eventual loss ...

Pain: An unpleasant sensation that can range from mild, localized discomfort to agony. Pa...

Pharmacy: A location where prescription medications are sold. A pharmacy is constantly sup...

Physical therapy: A branch of rehabilitative health that uses specially designed exercises...

Prevalence: The proportion of individuals in a population having a disease or characterist...

Prognosis: The forecast of the probable outcome or course of a disease; the patient's chan...

Progressive: Increasing in scope or severity, advancing, or going forward. For example, a ...

Radiate: To spread out from a central area. For example, sciatic pain may radiate outward ...

Range of motion: The full movement potential of a joint, usually its range of flexion and ...

Rheumatoid arthritis: An autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation of joint...

Ringing in the ears: Medically called tinnitus, can be due to many causes including ear in...

Shock: In medicine, a critical condition that is brought on by a sudden drop in blood flow...

Shoulder: A structure made up of two main bones: the scapula (shoulder blade) and the hume...

Skeletal: Pertaining to the skeleton, the bones of the body that collectively provide the ...

Skull: The skull is a collection of bones which encase the brain and give form to the hea...

Sleep: The body's rest cycle.

Spasm: A brief, automatic jerking movement. A muscle spasm can be quite painful, with the ...

Stress: In a medical or biological context stress is a physical, mental, or emotional fact...

Surgeon: A physician who treats disease, injury, or deformity via operative or manual meth...

Surgery: The branch of medicine that employs operations in the treatment of disease or inj...

Syndrome: A combination of symptoms and signs that together represent a disease process.

Syringe: A medical device that is used to inject fluid into, or withdraw fluid from, the b...

Tear: A drop of the salty secretion of the lacrimal glands which serves to moisten the con...

Temporal: 1. Pertaining to time, limited in time, temporary, or transient.
...

Temporal bone: A large irregular bone that is situated at the base and side of the skull. ...

Tension: 1) The pressure within a vessel, such as blood pressure: the pressure within t...

Therapy: The treatment of disease. Therapy is synonymous with treatment.

Tinnitus: Ringing in the ears. Tinnitus has many causes, including some medications (inclu...

TMJ: Temporomandibular joint.

TMJ syndrome: Temporomandibular joint 'syndrome.

Tongue: A strong muscle that is anchored to the floor of the mouth. The tongue is covered ...

Trauma: A physical or emotional injury.

Tylenol: See: Acetaminophen.

Vomit: Matter from the stomach that has come up into and may be ejected beyond the mouth, ...

X-ray: High-energy radiation with waves shorter than those of visible light. X-ray is used...

Yawn: Involuntary opening of the mouth, accompanied by slowly breathing inward and then ou...