How Chiropractic Care Can Help Relieve TMJ Pain
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder is a common condition that affects the jaw joint and surrounding facial muscles. The TMJ acts as a sliding hinge, connecting the jawbone to the skull and allowing for essential movements like chewing, speaking, and yawning. This joint is unique because it combines both hinge and sliding motions, making it more complex and susceptible to dysfunction. When the TMJ misaligns anterior and inferior, it can cause jaw pain, discomfort, and restricted movement, affecting the structure of the face, impacting eating and communication, and even restricting the airway and proper breathing patterns.
TMJ dysfunction is often linked to muscle tension, poor posture, or joint misalignment—factors that chiropractic care is specifically designed to address. By improving spinal alignment and reducing inflammation, chiropractic adjustments can play a valuable role in TMJ pain relief and long-term jaw function restoration.
Common Symptoms of TMJ
TMJ disorder can present a range of symptoms, including:
Chronic jaw pain
Clicking or popping sounds when opening or closing the mouth
Difficulty chewing or pain while eating
Locking of the jaw joint
Headaches, earaches, or facial pain
Causes of TMJ
TMJ symptoms may stem from various causes, such as:
Jaw misalignment or teeth grinding (bruxism)
Stress-related muscle tension
Injury or trauma to the jaw joint
Arthritis in the TMJ
Identifying the root cause of your temporomandibular disorder is essential for effective TMJ treatment.
How Chiropractic Care Can Help
Chiropractic treatment for TMJ offers a non-invasive solution to relieve symptoms by correcting jaw alignment and relaxing hyperactive muscles. A Gonstead chiropractor starts with precise spinal corrections to improve nerve function, which helps relieve pressure on the jaw and promotes overall structural balance. Next, we use gentle, targeted techniques to adjust the TMJ joint externally, helping to reduce inflammation and restore normal movement [1].
Studies have shown that chiropractic adjustments for TMJ can restore balance to the jaw muscles, alleviate head and neck tension, and improve mobility [2]. By focusing on the neuromuscular connection between the spine, jaw, and neck, chiropractors help enhance jaw mobility and relieve muscle spasms that contribute to pain.
Take Control of Your Jaw Health
If you're experiencing TMJ pain, now is the time to explore a natural, non-invasive solution. Dr. Bobby at Vertical Chiropractic in Downtown Sarasota specializes in chiropractic care that focuses on improving spinal posture, restoring jaw alignment, and relieving muscular tension.
Schedule your consultation today and start your path to lasting relief and a better quality of life.
References:
(1) Pavia, S., Fischer, R., & Roy, R. (2015). Chiropractic Treatment of Temporomandibular Dysfunction: A Retrospective Case Series. Journal of chiropractic medicine, 14(4), 279–284. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcm.2015.08.005
(2) Chu, E. C., Lee, W. T., Chau, C., Wong, E., & Cheng, H. Y. (2023). Temporomandibular Disorder Treated With Chiropractic Therapy. Cureus, 15(3), e36377. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.36377
