TMJ simply stands for temporomandibular joint.
The TMJ is the hinge-like joint that connects your skull and lower jaw, and it is one of the most active and important joints in your entire body. We use this joint almost constantly while we're awake.
To locate your TMJ, simply place your index fingers on your jaw just in front of your ear lobes and clench your teeth or open your jaw wide. You should feel it bulging out.
That's your temporomandibular joint right there.
TMJ is also commonly used by people to refer to TMJ Disorder or Syndrome.
Disorders in this joint refer to a range of problems which relate to the TMJ, such as jaw pain, headaches, ear ringing and clicking/popping sounds among many other things.
Symptoms can often be incredibly frustrating if not debilitating and very often people don't know that TMJ disorders are causing what seem to be completely unrelated symptoms.
If you ever wake up feeling awful, get vertigo, have ringing ears, migraines or pain around the eye sockets for instance and medical tests come back all clear, there's a good chance you're suffering from a TMJ disorder and don't even know it.
Ask your doctor for a referral to a TMJ specialist as soon as possible as they're often able to diagnose a disorder immediately.