Tension in the jaw muscles, or TMJ, is one of the most common causes of pain in the face. It can also lead to headaches, neck pain and shoulder pain. And because it is related to many other conditions that are more serious than just a sore jaw muscle, it’s important to take care of this problem right away.
What are symptoms of TMJ dysfunction?
TMJ disorders can come on gradually or quickly – and the symptoms may not always be obvious. The early symptoms include:
- A dull, achy pain in the TMD (temporomandibular joint) region of the jaw and/or around the ear. This pain may be worse in the morning when you wake up.
- A popping or clicking noise when you open and close your mouth.
- Pain in the area of the joint, especially when chewing or opening your mouth too wide.
- Research shows that chiropractic might be an effective solution for people with TMJ pain.
A new case series suggests that chiropractic can improve symptoms in patients with jaw symptoms due to temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD). The temporomandibular joint is the joint in the jaw that allows you to open and close your mouth with ease. Between 10-40% of people experience TMD symptoms at some point in their life, but the disorder is more common in patients with auto injuries, whiplash, headache, vertigo, and fibromyalgia.
A Spanish research study treated 15 patients with TMD using a multidisciplinary approach. Patients received a combination of therapies commonly used by chiropractors like thoracic spine adjustments, mobilization with movement applied to the cervical spine and temporomandibular joint, and trigger point dry needling. After two weeks of treatment, the patients had significantly decreased pain scores, reduced disability, and better jaw range of motion as measured by maximal mouth opening. These improvements lasted for the two-month follow-up.
Chiropractors often use a combination of treatments to help improve symptoms in patients with temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD). This new case series suggests that chiropractic can be an effective treatment for TMD symptoms.
Manipulative and manual therapies can also enhance the benefits of exercise therapies and other treatments, suggests a new literature review from the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. "Working with DCs [Doctors of Chiropractic] offers an additional choice for dental professionals and patients," the review authors concluded.
References
Brantingham, JW et al. Manipulative and multimodal therapy for upper extermity and temporomandibular disorders: a system literature review. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2013; doi:10.1016/j.jmpt.2013.04.001.
González-Iglesias J, et al. Mobilization with movement, thoracic spine manipulation, and dry needling for the management of temporomandibular disorder: A prospective case series. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice 2013; [E-pub ahead of print].
Von Piekartz H, Hall, T. Orofacial manual therapy improves cervical movement impairment associated with headache and features of temporomandibular dysfunction: A randomized controlled trial. Manual Therapy 10 (1016).
