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Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Dysfunction and Emotional Stress

Physiological effects of emotional stress on the body and its effects on the TMJ

Effects on the vascular system

There is a connection between the carotid sheath with the upper part of the sympathetic chain and loose areolar tissue supporting neurovascular structures.(Cathie, 1952) Increased muscular tension in emotional stress can put tension on these fascial structures and create cervical sympathetic ganglia disturbance resulting in abnormal vascular tone in the head.

Emotional stress such as anger expression has been scientifically linked to vasoconstriction.(Rabineau, Treiber, Poole, & Ludwig, 2005).
So in addition to structural disturbance of the blood vessels pertaining to TMJ that results from the increased muscular tone, articular and connective tissue changes, there is a vasoconstriction which will further restrict the blood supply to TMJ. This is of primal importance due to the osteopathic principle of importance of the artery.(Still, 1902)