Craniomandibular dysfunction (CMD) and histamine intolerance
As mentioned many times before, histamine intolerance is usually a consequence of dysregulation in the body. The triggers for this can be varied. Typical causes include, for example, hormonal imbalances, gut imbalances, liver overload, chronic illnesses, or increased stress.
However, there are also causes that only become apparent upon closer inspection. One example of this is temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD).
What is a CMD?
Temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD) refers to disorders of the normal muscle or joint function of the masticatory system, which can occur individually or in different combinations (*1):
- Disease of the masticatory muscles
- Temporomandibular joint disorder
- Malocclusion: The upper and lower teeth do not fit together.
A misaligned jaw can, among other things, lead to an unstable cervical spine (*2) . Conversely, a cervical spine trauma can also lead to temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD).
According to an estimate, about 15 percent of German adults are affected by temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD) requiring treatment (*1)
What symptoms are typical of temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD)?
Typical symptoms of TMD include, for example (*1):
- Movement restrictions in the head and neck area
- Severe tension or pain in the face, neck, shoulders and back
- Headache
- Earache
- Tinnitus
- dizziness
- Eye pressure
- Teeth grinding (bruxism)
- Audible clicking and grinding of the jaw joints
- Gastrointestinal problems
- and much more
Diagnosis of CMD
To find out if you are affected by TMD, the following diagnostic options are available, for example:
- A detailed consultation with an orthodontist (CMD specialist)
- A functional analysis of jaw opening, masticatory muscles and temporomandibular joints by a dentist, orthopedist, physiotherapist, etc.
Treatment of TMD
The good news: therapy is usually possible! For example with (*1):
- a bite splint from the orthodontist (CMD specialist)
- Physiotherapy
- Osteopathy
Histamine intolerance and TMD
Repeated mechanical rubbing of the misaligned jaw, and consequently of the cervical vertebrae, can lead to chronic nerve inflammation, which in turn can promote an increase in histamine in the head and body. This leads to sympathetic nervous system stress, which in turn can activate the same nerves and promote the release of histamine (*2). It's a vicious cycle that needs to be broken!
This cycle applies not only to TMD, but also to many unexplained pains, such as:
- Spinal pain
- Joint and muscle pain
- Psoriasis or atopic dermatitis
- migraine
- Inflammation in the mouth and throat area
You can learn more about this in our blog article Unstable cervical spine and histamine intolerance .
Nitric oxide also plays an important role in the connection between TMD and HIT. Chronic inflammation leads to an excess of nitric oxide in the body. So much so that it cannot be properly broken down and therefore binds to proteins, especially in the joints. Furthermore, nitric oxide stimulates histamine production.