Generally, the TMJ is the last joint to end up with arthritis. However, your situation could be exacerbated by other malocclusion problems in your mouth. If your bite is off due to infection, dental fillings, broken teeth, misaligned dentures, grinding or clenching....... then any of these things could be contributing to your arthritic tmj issues.

Some people cannot tolerate ice packs against their skin or joints. So sometimes, moist heat works better than ice packs. Place a soft, wet face cloth in the microwave until it is hot, not scolding. Lay down and place that hot cloth over the tmj area with a dry towel over it. The moist heat allows the blood to circulate through that area without pooling in any one spot.

There are dental treatment options that can be tried depending on what the cause of the arthritic tmj is. If everything in your mouth checks out healthy, then sometimes a splint can be made to help alleviate the pain by allowing the jaw muscles to rest.

Here is a good site with some helpful information about arthritic tmj:
http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec08/ch097/ch097c.html

I hope you find relief soon!
Bryanna