TMJ Chiropractors can help manage your Jaw Pain effectively

Chiropractic care is known to adjust and realign imbalances and issues in our bones and joints, helping to alleviate different kinds of body pain, treat dislocations, and treat injuries. The world is waking up to the immense benefits of chiropractic and its ability to heal without surgery or medications.

TMJ, or temporomandibular joints, are the joints connecting the lower jaw to the skull that get imbalanced or dislocated due to chronic or acute inflammation of the temporomandibular joint due to multiple chronic or acute reasons like arthritis, grinding of teeth, trauma, and even everyday wear and tear. The syndrome affects the jaw muscles, facial nerves, and, of course, the joints in the jaw. The most significant symptom of TMJ is the sound of popping followed by a movement locking the jaw; hence, the syndrome is commonly referred to as locked jaw.

Understanding the Reasons for TMJ 

As stated, TMJ can be caused by multiple reasons, like:

• Autoimmune disorder
• Injury
• Teeth grinding
• Arthritis and other degenerative joint diseases
• Dislocated disc
• Infection
• Hereditary conditions
• Uneven dental fillings

The Symptoms 

• Popping sound followed by locking of the jaw
• Inflammation
• Earache and headache
• Pain in the neck
• Stiffness and soreness of the jaw
• Sensitive teeth with no dental problems
• Dizziness

This condition is very common, particularly in the young, with an estimated 12% of TMJ cases in the U.S. itself. Instead of learning to live with this problem, which many people do, visiting a TMJ chiropractor is one of the best options for a cure, as chiropractic has a proven success rate in realigning the joints of the jaw.

Managing jaw pain with the help of chiropractic

• Examination: The first step is an extensive examination to determine the reason for the condition. As for the treatment to benefit you, it is essential to know the root cause of TMJ and treat it.

• Focus area: A TMJ chiropractor focuses on three main muscles: the masseter, temporalis, and pterygoid. Along with working on these three muscles, the treatment also extends to the associated areas of the joint, the suboccipital muscle and jaw joints, which the chiropractor aligns to help the pain subside. The two muscles are mainly responsible for enabling chewing and also speaking, or the opening and closing of your mouth.

• Alleviating pain: The immediate concern of a good TMJ chiropractor is to help alleviate the excruciating pain and discomfort that you are experiencing. Working on the soft tissue with various techniques to loosen the jaw and reduce the pain is the first step of the treatment. For instance, the two-finger technique to loosen the masseter muscle or the four-finger technique for the temporalis muscle. Certain techniques are more complicated, requiring careful handling, like that for the pterygoid muscle.

• Adjusting the jaw: During the treatment, your chiropractor will also adjust the jaw, beginning with finding out which side of the jaw opens less than the other side. This will help the practitioner decide which side requires immediate attention and adjust the locked or stuck side while also realigning it. In extreme cases where the jaw is very tightly shut, the chiropractor may decide to use dry needling or class four laser treatment to help loosen the jaw, reduce the pain, and speed the recovery and healing process.

• Healthcare guidance: A professionally qualified chiropractor is as knowledgeable about the medical field and human body as medical doctors and will help with handling the collateral symptoms caused by TMJ and also advise you regarding general healthcare with tips on how to avoid or manage the syndrome. Trust your TMJ chiropractor and discuss with them any other health or mental health issues for guidance and advice.

How to manage and deal with TMJ?

Some easy tips that will help you manage TMJ yourself

• Have soft food until your pain subsides.
• Rest your jaw avoiding excessive movement to avoid further stressing the joint
• Ice packs on the swollen area
• Learn from your chiropractor how to massage the soft tissue and stretch your jaw for ease of movement.
• Stay calm; stress will aggravate the problem. Learn and practice calming techniques and exercises like deep breathing, yoga, or meditation.

Chiropractic care is non-invasive and is not as scary or risky as surgeries, so before you decide to take medications to suppress the pain and swelling or go for invasive procedures, give chiropractic a chance.