If you have a temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder, you know how painful this condition can be. Do you have pain and discomfort due to ATM? Your first thought may be: can cannabidiol (CBD) help?
Here we will describe the available research and what it has determined about the effectiveness of CBD when it comes to ATM pain.
What is an ATM?
The temporomandibular joint connects the jaw, also known as the lower jaw, to the skull.
Located on either side of the head, just in front of the ears, this joint makes it easy to open and close the jaws to speak and eat. TMJ includes a group of health conditions involving the jaw, but over the years it has been abbreviated as TMJD (temporomandibular joint disorder) or TMD (temporomandibular disorder) in order to avoid confusion between the disorder. and the actual joint.
Symptoms of TMJD
The most common include jaw pain and pain in the surrounding muscles.
Other symptoms may include:
- headache
- stiff jaw muscles
- neck or face pain
- limited movement of the jaw
- Jaw lock
- click or burst sound
- Jaw Displacement (Malocclusion): A Difference in How the Upper and Lower Teeth Align
You may experience any of these symptoms on one or both sides of your face.
Causes of ATM disorders
Most of the causes of TMJ disorders are not clear at this time. Trauma to the jaw or joint can sometimes play a role, in addition to these possible factors:
- arthritis
- Joint erosion
- structural problems of the jaw that arise at birth
Some health conditions may also play a role in TMJD, such as:
- orthodontic brackets
- posture that causes strain on the muscles of the face and neck
- Stress
- diet lacking important nutrients
- lack of sound
Side note: These factors have not been shown to actually cause TMJD.
ATM treatment
ATM disorders can be treated at home in most cases with home remedies or self-care practices.
Here are some things that could relieve ATM symptoms:
- eat soft foods
- Avoid chewing gum and hard or sticky foods (candy, dried meat, etc.)
- apply gel to reduce swelling
- decrease jaw movements
- less stress
- Use jaw stretching exercises to extend the jaw movement
In some severe cases, a doctor may prescribe or suggest:
- Over-the-counter painkillers (ie ibuprofen)
- medicines designed to relax the muscles of the jaw
- medicines to reduce jaw swelling (corticosteroids)
- bite protectors or stabilizing splints to prevent gnashing of teeth
- Botox to relax the muscles and nerves of the jaw
- cognitive-behavioral therapy, which can help reduce stress
Although corrective dental surgery, joint replacement surgery, or arthrocentesis (surgery that removes debris and fluid from the jaw joint) may be recommended by a doctor in severe cases.
What is CBD?
Cannabidiol, or CBD for short, is one of more than 120 chemical compounds derived from the cannabis plant. It is without a doubt the most popular of all.
While not as intoxicating as its cousin tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), CBD is associated with many health benefits because it can relieve a variety of common conditions.
The three main types of CBD include:
- Full spectrum CBD. These are all natural compounds available from the cannabis plant, which means it has some THC. Typically, full-spectrum CBD (hemp-derived) contains less than 0.3 percent THC. But these THC levels rise when flowers have been extracted from the oil.
- Broad spectrum CBD. This includes compounds of natural origin, with the exception of THC. All THC has been removed, leaving only a small amount. Broad-spectrum THC still includes flavonoids and terpenes.
- CBD isolated. The purest form of CBD on the market, is separated from other compounds of the hemp plant.
How CBD works
To really know how CBD works, we need to consider the endocannabinoid system (ECS), which is a cellular signaling system first found by researchers in the 1990s studying THC.
This system is in the body whether or not you use cannabis. It has three main components: endocannabinoids, enzymes, and receptors.
Researchers are not yet familiar with all the complexities of ECS. However, it regulates many body functions and processes such as:
- to sleep
- Mood
- gana
- reproduction and fertility
- memory
Researchers still do not know exactly how CBD will interact with ECS. But they know that it does not bind to CB1 and CB2 (the two major endocannabinoid receptors) in the same way that THC does.
Some people think that CBD works by preventing the breakdown of endocannabinoids, which provides a better effect. Others think that CBD binds to a receptor that has not yet been discovered.
Research is ongoing, but so far suggests that CBD helps with pain, nausea and more.
What is the entourage effect?
CBD and THC, the best-known cannabis compounds, have one important difference: THC gives you that “high” feeling, but CBD doesn’t.
When they work together, they create the entourage effect.
This is a theory that says that when cannabis compounds are taken all together, they can have stronger effects than if taken alone.
CBD can help with ATM
Research on CBD is still ongoing and studies on the effectiveness of CBD for TMJ pain are very limited.
A 2019 study revealed that those experiencing TMD could see an improvement after using CBD products. In addition, a clinical trial is currently underway to determine whether CBD, when taken orally, provides pain relief and better jaw function to people with TMJ disorders.
All specific components of cannabis, including CBD, have been found to have analgesic effects.
Take this 2018 review, for example, which equated CBD with a decrease in chronic pain.
It includes studies conducted between 1975 and 2018 to explore many types of pain, such as:
- Fibromyalgia
- cancer pain
- neuropathic pain
The researchers found that CBD was helpful when it came to controlling pain and did not cause any negative side effects.
CBD: Is it safe to use for ATM?
The World Health Organization believes that CBD is safe. However, there are some side effects, such as:
- fatigue
- change of appetite
- diarrhea
- weight change
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says you should not buy CBD from companies that market CBD products as a way to treat diseases. These companies have received warning letters.
Currently, only one FDA approved drug contains CBD and is Epidiolex. It was designed to treat rare forms of epilepsy. Over-the-counter CBD products are not yet FDA approved.
Always talk to your doctor before trying any CBD product, especially if you are taking other medicines. CBD may interact with certain medications.
Find a quality CBD product
You’ll find CBD products everywhere these days, but be careful and read the labels before you buy. You never know if the product you want is high quality, as the FDA has not yet approved any over-the-counter CBD products.
Look for transparency / buy directly
On their websites, CBD companies need to be clear and direct about how their products are made and where the hemp comes from. This information should come directly from the company, so don’t buy in online markets such as Amazon. Amazon does not allow the sale of CBD products, so any list you see is likely to be false.
Check your reputation
When you see a brand you like, do a search to see if the company has received warning letters from the FDA or has pending lawsuits. Be sure to check the online reviews as well. Just remember that these branded websites probably only post their positive reviews.
Check the ingredients
Review the ingredients listed in the product. You may be allergic to something, so read it carefully. They could also add ingredients that could help with your specific condition.
Look for third-party lab tests
Make sure that the product you are interested in has been properly tested. The safest CBD products include up-to-date Certificate of Analysis (COA) certificates from reputable third-party labs.
COA is a good resource to try, as it shows you how much CBD and THC each product contains. Make sure these amounts match what the company claims. The COA will also confirm whether the product has been tested for contaminants such as heavy metals, mold and pesticides.
If you use CBD for ATM, go with the oil form instead of clichés or jelly beans. CBD oil, when placed under the tongue, gives it faster effects. Read here about some of the best CBD oils.
In conclusion
Research on CBD is still ongoing, but everything looks promising. CBD can relieve pain, but research on CBD for ATM is specifically limited.
Talk to your doctor before testing for CBD, as it may interact with certain medications.
If you want to try CBD for ATM pain, start with oil instead of jelly beans or clichés.
Buy only from trusted CBD companies with a positive reputation and transparency on how their products are made.
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