Many conditions can cause jaw pain, but not all are dental. TMJ is a condition that doesn’t require a dentist to treat, though it does originate in your jaw. A chiropractor can help relieve pain and discomfort in joints throughout your body, including your jaw. If you are experiencing pain in your jaw, ask your doctor about the benefits of chiropractic care. You can read more or reach out to a chiropractor near you to learn more about TMJ and how chiropractic can help treat the condition.
What is TMJ?
TMJ stands for temporomandibular joint disorders. Temporomandibular joints are the joints that connect your jaw to the back of your skull. TMJ is a general term for any condition that results in pain or swelling in that area. There is no specific cause of TMJ, as several disorders fall under the umbrella, and each could stem from various factors. Depending on the severity of your TMJ, a doctor may recommend various treatments, including chiropractic, painkillers, or even surgical solutions. However, in many cases, TMJ is treatable without surgery.
When a joint is overused or used incorrectly, it can irritate the nerves and muscles surrounding it. Moreover, swelling can cause pain, limited range of use, and misalignment within the joint. Even though you may not know the cause of your TMJ, most treatments focus on removing irritants, realigning the joint, and reducing swelling.
What are the symptoms of TMJ?
TMJ is a category of disorders or injuries, so the symptoms may vary depending on the specifics of your diagnosis. However, if you are wondering if you have TMJ, here are a could symptoms that you can look for to decide if you want to talk to a doctor:
- Difficulty fully opening your mouth
- Popping or clicking noises when moving your jaw
- Headaches
- Muscle spasms
- Teeth grinding
- Jaw pain
- Ear pain
Neck or shoulder pain There are also several other types of jaw pain that may not fall under the category of TMJ but that can still cause discomfort and may be treated with chiropractic. Some factors that may cause non-TMJ jaw pain are:
- Non-TMJ-related teeth grinding (from stress or sleeping)
- Dental cavities
- Wisdom teeth
- Gum disease
What do chiropractors do?
Chiropractics are a type of medical therapy treatment. It most commonly involves spinal manipulation to relieve pressure from joints. Muscles and joints can develop gas between the muscles and bones in your joint through regular usage. Chiropractics uses specific methods of moving your body and applying external pressure to your joints to release that gas. It is the release that causes the popping noise you may associate with chiropractics or popping your back.
A chiropractor is a licensed medical professional who understands how to apply these methods to their patients to treat pain, discomfort, injuries, and other ailments, including TMJ. They can also teach you about exercise and nutrition to their patients, depending on the patient’s needs. When you work with a chiropractor, they may interview you to learn about your health history, perform an examination, and develop a working diagnosis and treatment plan. The treatment plan usually includes stretching and joint manipulations. If you want to learn more about a chiropractic appointment, you can make an appointment with one of our licensed NYC chiropractors.
Three ways chiropractics can help treat TMJ
A chiropractor can treat TMJ to ease pain and improve movement in your jaw. Here are some of the ways a TMJ adjustment may help:
1. Manipulate your jaw joint
Chiropractors specialize in joint manipulation to relieve pain. There are specific alignment procedures a chiropractor can perform that can ease tension in your jaw. The pressure in your joints causes swelling and discomfort, which are symptoms of TMJ. Therefore, when the pressure releases, it can ease your jaw pain.
2. Relax the surrounding muscles
A chiropractor typically works with spinal alignment. When your spine is not correctly aligned, it can tilt your jaw. This angle can create tension in your jaw and the joints connecting your jaw to your skull. A chiropractor can administer an adjustment that re-aligns your spine to relieve tension. Additionally, the adjustment can relieve pain in other parts of your body, improving your overall mobility and comfort.
3. Educate you on TMJ
Chiropractors can provide you with information about your TMJ diagnosis. They can work with you on nutrition, exercise and stretches. Learning more about your diagnosis can help you manage your TMJ independently between sessions.
At Living Well Balanced, we offer a wide range of fitness and physical health services from caring and experienced professionals. We provide chiropractic treatment as well as personal training and physical, occupational, and nutritional therapy to assist our clients in their health and wellness management. You can make an appointment with one of our chiropractors to learn how they can benefit your treatment plan for TMJ or jaw pain. If you have any questions, you can always give us a call at 212-579-2858 or send an email to info@livingwb.com. Check out our blog for more information about alternative therapies.