Temporomandibular Joint Disorders (TMJD) are caused by a dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and impact over 10million Americans yearly. Commonly known as "lockjaw," TMJ causes pain and discomfort of the jaw as well as headaches, clicking of the jaw, ear pain, ringing in the ears, dizziness, unexplained tooth pain, grinding of the teeth, pain in the face and cheek, and muscle stiffness. TMJ can also cause issues with the shoulders and neck including muscle soreness, loss of range of motion, and numbness or tingling in the hands and fingers. When you open your mouth, the rounded upper ends of the mandible on each side of the jaw glide along the joint socket at the base of the skull. Then when you close your mouth they slide back to their original position. This is where many people with TMJ hear popping in their jaw. While TMJD can be hard to approach in terms of care as they are often comprised of many factors, all of those factors have one thing in common: dysfunction occurs at the base level. While many therapies focus solely on pain relief, such as needling, facial injections, and even surgery, one treatment focuses on removing the cause of TMJD. That treatment is specific cervical chiropractic adjustments. By removing interference to the trigeminal nerve, the joint is able to move properly as well as release tension of the surrounding ligaments and muscles. Have more questions about TMJ and other disorders of the jaw? We can help.
Yours in health,
