Ukuphuncuka Kwimihlathi Yomkhohlisi Omkhulu

ULARRY wayecinga ukuba wayeshiywa ziingqondo. Kangangeenyanga ezisixhenxe wayesoloko esiva ingxolo yezinto ezikhenkcezayo nezibhubhuzelayo. Waya kugqirha oligcisa lokunyanga izigulo zangaphakathi negcisa lokunyanga izigulo zendlebe. Akukho namnye kubo owawufumanisayo unobangela wengxaki yakhe.

URobert wachitha imali engaphezu kwama-R7 500 ezama ukunyanga iingqaqambo zentloko yakhe. Wathi, “Ndaya koogqirha abangamagcisa, kwizibhedlele ezikuyo yonke indawo . . . ndaxilongwa ngeendlela zonke.” Oogqirha bayalela ukuba asebenzise iziyobisi zokubulala iintlungu nezokuphumza izihlunu, kodwa iingqaqambo zentloko azizange ziphele.

Kangangeminyaka uPauline wayebhuqwa lizinyo eliqaqambayo. Ugqirha wakhe wamazinyo akazange abone nto iphosakeleyo namazinyo akhe waza wamthumela kugqirha oqhelekileyo. Ugqirha lowo wamthumela kugqirha wamazinyo kwakhona, owathi walikhupha elo zinyo. Ebambe elo zinyo ngasekukhanyeni ngodlawu (pliers), ugqirha wamazinyo wathi: “Eli zinyo lilungile.” Xa saphelelwayo isidambisi-zintlungu waphinda waqaqanjelwa.

Nangona iimpawu zokugula kwabo zazahlukile, aba bantu bathathu babenokuphazamiseka okufanayo. Kuko kanye okuchaphazela abantu abangaphezu kwezigidi ezilishumi eUnited States kuphela. Ngenxa yokufana kwako nezinye izifo ezininzi kuqhulwa kubizwa ngokuba ngu-“Mkhohlisi Omkhulu.” Amaxhoba ako amaninzi awazi ukuba ana⁠ko. Inkoliso isenokuba ayizange ive nokuva ngako.

Esi sigulo sibizwa ngokuba sisifo seTMJ (temporomandibular joint).a Ukongezelela kwiingxaki ezichazwe ngasentla, isifo esiyiTMJ sikwanokubangela ukuqaqamba kwezihlunu zemihlathi, ukuqaqamba kobuso, ukuqaqamba kwentamo namagxa, ukuqaqamba kwamehlo, ukuqaqamba okubangelwa kukukrala kwamathambo empumlo, isiyezi, kwanokungeva. Ngenxa yokwahlukahlukana kwezi mpawu zokugula, izifo ezibangelwa yiTMJ ngokufuthi ziqondwa phosakeleyo xa kuxilongelwa esi isifo okanye zingaqondwa konke konke. Ngenxa yoko, abantu abaninzi, batshintsha-tshintsha oogqirha abangamagcisa, bengafumani sicombululo kwiingqaqambo zabo. Abanye, ngenxa yokuphelelwa lithemba, baphethukela koogqirha bezigulo zengqondo, ngoxa abanye beginya iziyobisi zokubulala iintlungu. Kodwa kulunge ngaphezulu ukubonana nogqirha wamazinyo onolwazi. Ngokunokwenzeka unokwenza into enokubangela isiqabu​—⁠into ebangela isiqabu ngokufuthi engabangeli ntlungu nenokuhlala ihleli.

Umkhohlisi Ubhaqiwe

Qwalasela uhlobo lwemeko. Amalungu ahlanganisa amathambo entlafuno (temporomandibular joints) (ngamnye wethu unamabini) adibanisa umhlathi wangasezantsi, okanye intlafuno, elukhakhayini. Ezi zihlanganisi zamalungu zenza ukuba sikwazi ukushukumisa umhlathi wethu siwuhlisa siwunyusa, siwusa phambili nangasemva, sikwawubhekisa macala onke. Asebenza nanini na sithetha, sihlafuna, sizamla, siginya, okanye sincuma. La malungu ahlanganisa amathambo entlafuno asebenzisana nenkqubo entsonkothileyo nehlobene nemisipha, amathambo, izihlunu, imithambo-luvo, nemithambo yegazi. Kwinkoliso yabantu onke la malungu asebenza kunye ngemvisiswano aze angabangeli ngxaki.

Noko ke, ukuba umhlathi awulungelelananga, kunokuphumela kwingqaqambo ebukhali. Imeko ifaniswe nokunyanzelela indoda enobude obuziisentimitha ezili-180 ukuba ime kwigumbi eliziisentimitha ezili-175 ukuphakama. Inokuhlala kangangethuba elithile icudaniselekile ingekabulaleki, kodwa ekuhambeni kwexesha isenokuqalisa kancinane kancinane ukubulaleka gqitha. Ngokufanayo xa umhlathi uphumile kwindawo omele ukuba kuyo elukhakayini, izihlunu zimele zihlale ziwuxhasile. Oku kuya kubangela iingqaqambo ezikwafanayo nezendoda ende phantsi kophahla olufutshane.

IThe American Equilibration Society ithi xa amalungu ahlanganisa amathambo entlafuno ephumile kwindawo yawo, oku kunokubangela ukuba “umzimba ucinezeleke ngeyona ndlela ngenxa yokuba ayikho indlela umzimba onokuziva ukhululeke ngayo.” Ngokungafaniyo nelungu elonzakeleyo, elinokuxhaswa, amalungu omhlathi nezihlunu ezidibeneyo asebenza ngalo lonke ixesha, imini nobusuku.

Ethetha ngemiphumo yoxinezeleko olunjalo noluzingisileyo ngokukodwa kula malungu nezihlunu, ugqirha wamazinyo waseNew York uHarold Gelb, ingcali kwiingxaki zesigulo seTMJ, ubhala athi: “Uxinezeleko lwenza ukuba uve inkantsi kwizihlunu ezisentloko, entanyeni nasemagxeni ezisele ziqinile kakade. Igazi liya kuhamba kancinane kwezi zihlunu ngenxa yokuqina kwazo, nalapho igazi lihamba kancinane khona, kuya kubakho umonakalo othile kwizicwili nto leyo eya kubangela ukuba kubekho amaqhuma abuhlungu emzimbeni. La maqhuma anokubangela intlungu nandawoni na emzimbeni; elisemagxeni linokubangela intlungu egqithiseleyo ecaleni lentloko, intloko eqaqamba gqitha ngamaxesha athile. . . . Ngenxa yokuba olona xinezeleko lukhulu olubangelwa kukungalungelelani komhlathi (jaw imbalance) lubakho kummandla wezicwili zentloko, zentamo, nezamagxa, inkoliso yeempawu zesi sigulo zifumaneka kuloo mmandla.”

Yintoni Ebangela Iingxaki Zesigulo EsiyiTMJ?

Kwasekuqaleni nje yintoni ebangela ukuba la malungu aphume kwindawo yawo? Maxa wambi iba ngumphumo wokubethwa ngamandla entloko, entanyeni okanye emhlathini. Umkhwa wokuhlafuna nokuginya ngokuphosakeleyo usenokuba ngunobangela. Noko ke, oyena nobangela uqhelekileyo, kukukhaba kwamazinyo, imeko apho amazinyo angasentla nawangasezantsi engadibani kakuhle.

Ngokufuthi ukungalungelelani kwamalungu ahlanganisa amathambo entlafuno enziwa mandundu ngumkhwa ombi wokusetyenziswa komlomo, onjengokutshixizisa okanye ukudla amazinyo kabani, ukubamba inqawa ngamazinyo, ukuntlantlatha iipensile okanye izinto zokubhala. Okanye ukungalungelelani kusenokwenziwa mandundu kukuma kakubi, njengaxa ugobe phezu kwedesika okanye ngokwesiqhelo ubeka isilevu esandleni sakho.

UMbutho Woogqirha Bamazinyo WaseMerika ucacisa ukuba xa izihlunu zomhlathi namalungu zingakwazi ukusebenza kunye ngokufanelekileyo, ngokufuthi oku kubangela inkantsi ezihlunwini. Ukuba nenkantsi ezihlunwini kubangela iingqaqambo, ubuthathaka, nokonakala kwezicwili. Ekuhambeni kwexesha amalungu nezihlunu ngokwazo ziyenzakala, namandla awo okusebenza ngokuchanileyo aya encipha ngokungakumbi. Oku kukhokelela kwinkantsi engakumbi, kwiingqaqambo ezithe chatha, nomonakalo ongakumbi.

Onokukwenza

Zinokupheliswa njani iingqaqambo zesigulo iTMJ? Maxa wambi ukubeka into efumileyo neshushu ebusweni kunokubangela isiqabu. Iziyobisi ezithile zinokunceda kwezinye iimeko, kodwa oku kuhle ukuba kusetyenziswe njengonyango lokwexeshana. Ukufumana unyango olusisigxina ngokuqhelekileyo kuquka ukulungisa imikhwa emibi ezisa uxinezeleko kumalungu ahlanganisa amathambo entlafuno nakwimisipha enxulumene nawo, izihlunu, imithambo-luvo, njalo njalo. Isenokubandakanya ukuphindiselwa komhlathi endaweni yawo.

Olona qheliselo lwenzakalisa ngokungakumbi lelokutshixizisa okanye ukudla amazinyo. Ngokuqhelekileyo, amazinyo omntu afanele angadityaniswa ngaphandle kwaxa kuhlafunwa okanye kuginywa. Phofu ke, abamalunga nama-40 ekhulwini abanesi sigulo iTMJ ngokwesiqhelo batshixizisa amazinyo abo nangona ebefanele ukuba angadityaniswa, ingakumbi ebusuku ngoxa belele. Lo mkhwa wokutshixizisa amazinyo udla ngokuba ngumphumo woxinezeleko lweemvakalelo okanye wokukhaba kwamazinyo.

Ngoko, yintoni enokwenziwa ngokuphathelele nokutshixiziswa kwamazinyo? Bambi baye bakwazi ukuwoyisa lo mkhwa ngokunciphisa okanye ngokushenxisa uxinezeleko lweemvakalelo olukubangelayo. Oogqirha bamazinyo baye babanceda abanye ngokufakela emazinyweni inkcenkce yokwahlula amazinyo (occlusal splint), elwa imiphumo eyenzakalisayo yokutshixiza amazinyo. Esi sixhobo seplastiki ngokuqhelekileyo esinxitywa ebusuku, sithintela ukuhlanganisana kwamazinyo ngendlela engeyiyo. Ngokufuthi, ukunxiba esi sixhobo kuzisa isiqabu esikhawulezileyo.

Zikho ezinye izinto onokuzenza ukunciphisa ukuxinezeleka kwemihlathi. Kuphephe ukungqiyamisa isilevu esandleni sakho. Musa ukuziyekelela ngobuvila phezu kwedesika yakho, yaye musa ukubeka umnxeba egxalabeni uze uwubambe ngentlafuno. Ziqhelise umkhwa wokushukumisa imihlathi ngendlela ekhululekileyo nelawulekayo. Yaye mu⁠sa ukugrenya iintsiba zokubhala okanye iipensile.

Oko Ugqirha Wakho Wamazinyo Anokukwenza

Ukuba sele uneengqaqambo zesigulo iTMJ, kusenokuba uyalufuna unyango oluvela kugqirha wamazinyo. Ekubeni ukuma kwamazinyo xa umlomo uvaliwe kubonisa ukuma kwemihlathi, ugqirha wamazinyo unokugqiba ngokuyiguqula indlela amazinyo ahlangana ngayo. Oku ukwenza ngokuvala izikhewu kumazinyo athile yaye mhlawumbi ngokwenza amanye abe makhulu​—⁠inkqubo ebizwa ngokuba yimeko yokulungelelanisa phakathi kwezinto ezingalinganiyo (equilibration). Oku kwenza imihlathi ukuba ihlale kakuhle nangokufanelekileyo. Inkqubo yokulungelelaniswa kwamazinyo angalinganiyo ifuna ixesha nobuchule kugqirha wamazinyo, kodwa oku akubangeli zingqaqambo kumguli.

Ngokufuthi imiphumo iyamangalisa. Amazinyo kaRobert okhankanywe ekuqaleni, alungiswa ngale ndlela. Wathi: “Ngesiquphe kwavakala ngokungathi ndandinamazinyo amatsha emlonyeni wam. Okona kuvuyisayo kukuba akusekho neengqaqambo zentloko.” Omnye wadanduluka wathi: “Kuvakala ngokungathi ndinomlomo omtsha!”

Kanti, phezu kwayo nje impumelelo yokunyanga abo banesigulo iTMJ, kukude lee ukuba singaqondwa ngokupheleleyo. Ngokomzekelo, yintoni ngokuyintloko ebangela iimpawu zesi sigulo? Yaye kutheni abanye abanokungalungelelani kwemihlathi okuhlasimlisa umzimba bengeva zintlungu kwaphela ngoxa abanye abanokungalungelelani nje okuncinane besiva iingqaqambo ezigqith’ emgceni? Ngaba ubuntu bufak’ isandla? Kwakhona, ngokuchanileyo iingqaqambo zidluliselwa njani kwelinye ilungu lomzimba ukuya kwelinye?

Iimpendulo kule mibuzo nakweminye ziyaphandwa yaye ziseyinyewe abayisompayo oogqirha bamazinyo. Kanti, ukhona Lowo ukuqonda ngokupheleleyo ukusebenza nokuntsonkotha komzimba womntu. Lo Yena uthembise ukuphelisa konke ukungafezeki okubangela intlungu nokubandezeleka kuluntu.​—⁠ISityhilelo 21:⁠4.

Okwangoku, ukuba urhanela ukuba unesigulo iTMJ, kutheni ungatyeleli ugqirha wamazinyo onolwazi ngalo mkhohlisi mkhulu? Unokukwazi ukukunceda.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 30]

Ngaba Umhlathi Wakho Awukho Sendaweni Yawo?

Ukuba uphendula ngokuthi ewe kule mibuzo ilandelayo, kusenokuba unaso.

1. Beka iminwe yakho emacaleni obuso bakho ngaphambi kwendlebe nganye, apho unokuva ilungu lakho elidibanisa amathambo entlafuno. Ngoku vula uze uvale umlomo wakho izihlandlo eziphindaphindiweyo. Ngaba uva isandi esinqakrazayo, esikrikrizayo, okanye esipoqozayo emalungwini?

2. Okulandelayo beka iintupha zoocikicane bakho ngocoselelo endlebeni nganye, uzicinezela phambili phakathi endlebeni. Kwakhona, vula uze uvale umlomo wakho. Ufanele uve ithambo lakho lomhlathi lityhala iminwe yakho. Ngaba oku kuvakala ngokungakumbi kwelinye icala kunakwelinye? Ngaba kubuhlungu ukwenza oku?

3. Ngaba ngamanye amaxesha kunzima ukuvula umlomo wakho, okanye ngaba kubuhlungu ukuwuvula kakhulu?

4. Ngaba kukho iingxaki okanye iingqaqambo ozivayo emhlathini wakho okanye ebusweni okanye ngasezindlebeni?

5. Ngaba uhlafuna okanye uzamla kabuhlungu?

6. Ngaba utshixizisa okanye udla amazinyo xa ulele? (Into eya kukwenza uqonde ukuba uyakwenza oku kukuqaqanjelwa nokudinwa kwemihlathi xa uvuka.)

7. Ngaba imihlathi iyaxinga kangangokuba ungakwazi ukuvula okanye ukuvala umlomo?