What is TMJ? The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the hinge that connects your lower jaw to your skull, right in front of your ears. This joint lets you chew, talk, and yawn. When something goes wrong with the TMJ, it can cause pain, headaches, and make it hard to move your jaw. TMJ problems are called TMJ disorders or TMD. They can affect one or both sides of your jaw and may cause pain, stiffness, or trouble moving your jaw. Causes of TMJ Disorders TMJ disorders can happen for several reasons: Jaw Injury: Getting hit in the jaw or having an accident can hurt the TMJ. Teeth Grinding (Bruxism): Grinding your teeth, especially at night, puts a lot of pressure on the joint. Stress: Stress can make you clench your jaw or grind your teeth, which strains the TMJ. Arthritis: Diseases like osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis can damage the joint. Misaligned Bite: If your teeth don’t fit together right, your jaw has to work harder, which can cause pain over time. Symptoms of TMJ Disorders TMJ disorders can cause different symptoms, including: Jaw pain or tenderness, especially when chewing or talking Clicking or popping sounds when you open or close your mouth (sometimes with pain) Trouble opening your mouth wide Headaches, especially around your temples or forehead Ear pain or a feeling of fullness in your ears (even if there’s no infection) Soreness in your face, especially in your cheeks and temples Symptoms can come and go or get worse over time. If your symptoms are severe or persist, you should see a doctor or dentist.

What is postherpetic neuralgia? Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is long-lasting pain that happens after a shingles rash goes away. Shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. After you recover from chickenpox, the virus stays in your body but is not active. Years later, the virus can wake up and cause shingles. When you have shingles, you get a painful rash. This rash typically resolves within a few weeks. But sometimes, the pain doesn't go away after the rash heals. This ongoing pain is called postherpetic neuralgia. PHN happens when the shingles virus damages your nerves. The damaged nerves send pain signals to your brain even when there is no rash anymore. This can cause burning, stabbing, or throbbing pain that lasts for months or even years. Who gets postherpetic neuralgia? Some people are more likely to get PHN after having shingles: people over 50 years old people who had severe shingles with a bad rash people who didn't get treatment for shingles right away people with health problems that weaken the immune system women (slightly more than men)

Pregnancy can be a tough time, it can throw up new muscle and ligament aches, back ache, and it can make headaches or migraines worse. It’s hard to know what pain relief is safe to reach for, so let’s talk you through what’s available to you, while keeping you comfortable and your baby healthy and happy. The general rule of thumb is, don’t take anything unnecessarily. If your pain is mild and bearable, hold off on medication, especially in the first 12 weeks (first trimester). Try non-medicated solutions first, such as lying down in a dark room to help a headache, or having a warm bath or hot water bottle to relieve muscle aches. Some medications are known to cause harm to your pregnancy and should be avoided. Others drugs may not have been through clinical trials on pregnant women, so there may be a theoretical risk or they are not known to be either safe or harmful. Drug manufacturers usually err on the side of caution in saying their medication should be avoided in pregnancy. Thankfully the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (RCOG) has advised on what’s safe and what’s not. They stress that if you need to take pain medication, is should be at the lowest effective dose and for the shortest time possible. The RCOG also recognise that inadequate pain relief can carry a psychological and physical burden, causing anxiety and depression in a new mother and disrupting bonding with baby. It may also prevent you from getting that all-important rest you need to revive.

Waking up with stiff or painful ankles in the morning is a common problem as you get older. The ankle wears down and becomes weak with age, and this kind of pain can also be connected to an injury. Ankle pain can make your mornings excruciating from the moment you get out of bed. Simple morning tasks like making breakfast or walking to your car are made far more difficult by ankle stiffness and pain, but the good news is that there are several ways to treat this - both with home and medicinal remedies. In this guide, we'll take a look at what is likely causing your ankle pain in the morning, and help you find out how you can treat it.

Ever wondered if stress is causing your shoulder pain? Find out how it might be. We cover what you can do to manage stress and anxiety along with tips on how to treat shoulder pain. We all live in a busy and stressful world, and it’s natural sometimes to feel anxious or stressed. However, if we have chronic stress, this can show up as aches and pain in our body, including in our neck and shoulders. In this guide, we look at what stress is, how it might affect your shoulders and how to treat it simply and quickly. We also explain easy ways of bringing your stress levels down with simple tips that can be done at any time, even in the busiest of days! What is stress? Stress is a natural human response to changes in our environment. It's what gets us out of bed in the morning and gives us the motivation and energy to do many of our activities. However, too much stress can be bad for us and cause a range of problems, including headaches, stomach upsets and high blood pressure. High levels of stress can also cause problems such as anxiety and anger, and affect relationships both at home and at work. People often feel over-stressed as a result of an event occurring in their life and this can be a negative event – such as a death in the family, redundancy or divorce – or a positive one such as a new relationship, a new job or going on holiday. Stress can also be acute (such as occurs in bereavement) or chronic (such as being in a bad relationship). To cope with stress, people can often turn to unhealthy ways of trying to manage their stress, such as drinking alcohol, keeping their emotions ‘bottled up’, taking drugs, overeating or smoking. In fact, keeping as healthy as you can is the best way of dealing with stress and helping both your mind and body work normally.

Shingles and chickenpox are both viral infections caused by the same virus, the varicella-zoster virus. Chickenpox is commonly experienced during childhood and is characterised by a widespread, itchy rash. At the same time, shingles reactivate the same virus that can occur later in life, leading to a painful rash and often severe discomfort. Although they stem from the same virus, their manifestations and implications differ significantly. Understanding the distinctions between shingles and chickenpox is essential for accurate diagnosis and appropriate management. Misidentifying one for the other can lead to ineffective treatments and prolonged discomfort. Recognising these differences ensures that individuals receive the correct treatment and take proper measures to prevent the spread or recurrence of these conditions. This article will cover the fundamental aspects of both chickenpox and shingles. It will detail each condition's causes, symptoms, and treatment strategies and discuss prevention measures. By distinguishing between the two, readers will understand how to address these infections and protect themselves and others from their effects.

Hip pain can arise from a variety of reasons, including long periods spent driving. If you are experiencing hip pain while driving, or even after your journey, this guide is for you. We have included some helpful advice on how to prevent and reduce hip pain that has been either caused or worsened by driving, covering treatment options, helpful exercises, and day-to-day advice.

Migraines can be debilitating to those who suffer from them, which is why it’s important to try and identify what factors could be triggering your migraine. The exact cause of migraines is not known but it is thought to be a mix of affected nerve signals, chemicals and blood vessels in the brain. The cause of this change in brain activity is not known, but could be genetic – which leads to you experiencing a migraine after encountering a specific trigger.

Migraine is a medical condition of headaches that can be very severe. A migraine headache is usually an intense, throbbing pain on one, or sometimes, both sides of the head. Most people with migraine headaches feel pain in the temples or behind one eye or ear, although any part of the head can be involved. Besides pain, migraine also can cause nausea and vomiting and sensitivity to light and sound. Some people also may see spots or flashing lights or have a temporary loss of vision. How often can migraines occur? A migraine attack can occur at any time of the day, though it often starts in the morning. The pain can last a few hours or up to one or two days and some people get migraines once or twice a week whereas others are only affected once or twice a year. Most of the time, migraines are not a threat to someone’s health but they can significantly interfere with their daily activities.

Living with lower back and knee pain can be challenging. Both areas play a crucial role in our everyday mobility and functionality, and in combination, can really impact your quality of life. However, by unravelling the connection between these two types of pain and finding effective relief, life can become much more enjoyable. In this article, we'll delve deep into the symptoms, possible causes, and treatments for with lower back and knee pain, providing you with valuable insights to alleviate your discomfort and improve your wellbeing.

If you suffer from back pain but still want to exercise, then swimming is one of the safest ways of doing so. The buoyancy of water means that your body is cushioned from the effects of some other impact exercises such as jogging, and allows you to strengthen your back muscles, which is helpful in supporting your spine and so reducing back discomfort. In this article, we look at the health benefits of swimming and why it can be useful for back pain, and tips and advice for how to get the most out of your time in the pool!

Understanding why herniated disc pain ebbs and flows and its unpredictable nature is crucial. In this article, we will delve into the symptoms, mechanisms and treatments. Common spine conditions like herniated discs can cause a range of symptoms, from little discomfort to bad pain and limits in one's ability to do basic tasks. It is unpredictable, with intervals of relief followed by painful episodes. We will look at the mechanisms, environmental, and personal influences on herniated discs.