Zoe Ball: BBC DJ issues in major health update after quitting Radio 2 breakfast show - what is TMJ?

Zoe, 54, took to Instagram to tell her 738,000 followers that she has been dealing with a painful condition called TMJ. In her post, Zoe said: "I have TMJ and wake most days with awful headaches from tension and jaw clenching. So grateful to Helen @sculptresslondon for her magic. This is my face after I've seen her, check out my face before - yikes - picture 2."

Sharing the images, she showed how tension in her face had been released following a massage to treat the symptoms of TMJ. Her followers took to the comments to share their own experience with TMJ and similar issues, with many thanking Zoe for sharing the news publicly.

One follower said: “I have tmj it is awful. I have botox in my massester muscles which really helps.” Another added: “I was diagnosed with TMJ at the weekend, originally referred to head and neck unit at the Royal Sussex for pulsatile tinnitus but seems TMJ is very much at the root of the head, neck, face and ear pain... Thank you for sharing this...will miss you in the morning wireless.”

Zoe’s health update comes just over a week after she announced that she was stepping down from her BBC Radio 2 breakfast show after six years at the helm. Revealing her decision, the DJ said live on her show: "Ok you lovely bunch, I have some news. After six years of fun times alongside you all on the Breakfast Show, I've decided it's time to step away from the early alarm call and focus on family.”

She added: "You know I think the world of you all listeners, and it truly has been such a privilege to share the mornings with you, to go through life's little ups and downs, we got through the lockdown together, didn't we? We've shared a hell of a lot, the good times, the tough times, there's been a lot of laughter.

“And I am going to miss you cats. I'm going to miss my amazing Prod Squad who I adore. Already missing Mike, I'm going to miss Tina and Richie. They've all become like family to me, like you lot. But I won't miss the 4am alarm call, if I'm completely honest."

Zoe, whose absence earlier this year concerned fans, is set to finish up her tenure on the show on December 20. Scott Mills will replace the star as the new Radio 2 breakfast show host.

What is TMJ?

TMJ is temporomandibular joint disorder, with pain stemming from the joint that connects your jaw bone to the rest of your skull. The disorder can cause symptoms such as:

• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Difficulty opening your mouth
• Clicking or grating sounds when opening your mouth or jaw
• Pain when opening your mouth

The conditions is fairly common and can be caused by a number of issues including arthritis, grinding your teeth in your sleep, or the result of an injury. Treatments include massaging the muscles, avoiding hard-to-chew food, doing regular exercises for your jaw and using hot and cold packs on your face. For those who grind their teeth a night, a mouth guard may help alleviate symptoms.