Temporomandibular (TMJ) or commonly known as the Jaw.

Can your chiropractor treat your jaw pain?

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) or as we all commonly know the jaw, is where the skull and your lower jaw bone meet. Jaw disorders may directly affect the joint itself, as well as the muscles and ligaments surrounding. Disorders of the Jaw/ TMJ may be acute or chronic, depending on the cause and the structures affected, this also means the intensity of the pain will also vary from case to case.

The causes of jaw pain may be due to direct trauma, arthritis (wear and tear), stress causing jaw clenching (bruxism), grinding of teeth during sleep, unequal or poor movement of the joint, jaw not lining up, genetics, displaced disc that cushions the movements of the jaw, tooth pain, sinus problems, inflammation of muscles surrounding the jaw.

The symptoms commonly experienced in TMJ/ jaw disorders include

·         Pain- this may be over the jaw, ears, face

·         Headaches

·         Dizziness

·         Clicking or grinding sound when opening and closing mouth

·         Locking of the jaw

·         Difficulty with chewing- stiffness and/ or pain

·         Tenderness over the jaw and surrounding muscles (masseter, temporalis, lateral and medial pterygoid)

·         Tooth pain

Treatment for jaw pain and dysfunction will vary on the cause of your pain. Alignment and tracking issues may be corrected by your chiropractor. Your chiropractor may also assist in pain relief and recovery if the primary source of your jaw dysfunction is not an alignment issue. For example, teeth grinding at night may be a result of stress and anxiety. The stress and anxiety firstly will need to be addressed, using a splint at night to prevent the grinding or damage to the teeth is commonly recommended, as well as Botox for the masseters to decrease the activity of the muscle. Your chiropractor may assist in the recovery by adjusting or mobilising the joint manually or using the activator. Your chiropractor may also perform soft tissue release of the surround muscles and ligaments of the joints, as well as rehabilitative exercises.

If you are experiencing TMJ or jaw pain, visit one of our chiropractors at Bespoke Chiropractic. The chiropractor will perform a thorough assessment of the jaw to reach a diagnosis, from there we may help with the pain and realignment of the jaw. If the cause of the dysfunction is out of the scope of chiropractic, we will refer you to a health care practitioner to resolve the issue, or work alongside their treatment plan to get you on the road to recovery.