Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) / Jaw Pain

Are you experiencing any of the following?

• Pain or soreness in your neck, jaw or around your ear
• Noises in the jaw – Clicking, cracking, crunching, grating or popping
• Difficulty opening the mouth
• “Locked” jaw
• Headaches

We can help! Problems with the jaw joint are common. Sometimes, the only problem may be in the muscles which move your jaw. However in other cases, the disc, cartilage and ligaments may be affected too. Physiotherapy treatment for people with this condition is important in speeding up healing and preventing future recurrences.

Causes

TMJ disorders are caused by a number of factors which can be grouped into two types:

1) Problems with the muscles:

If you find yourself clenching your jaw during sleep or during the day when you are feeling tense or anxious, this could lead to increased tension in your muscles. As well as consistent chewing gum, or biting nails could result in overuse of the jaw muscles.

2) Problems in the joint:

• Arthritis of the joint. This tends to affect the older rather than the younger population.
• Trauma or direct injury to the joint or to its cartilage disc can result in TMJ pain.

Your physiotherapist at Body Rhythm Physiotherapy will carry out a thorough assessment to establish an accurate diagnosis for the cause of your jaw pain.

Treatment

Once a diagnosis is established, we will provide you with the correct advice, education and hands on treatment to assist you in your treatment of your jaw pain.

We offer a range of treatment options depending on your particular complaint and goals, consisting of:

• Muscle/soft tissue therapy – Trigger point release, myofascial release, massage
• Dry needling/Acupuncture
• Joint mobilisation
• Joint manipulation
• Advice
• Postural improvements or re-training
• Rehabilitation, strengthening and education programs
• Pilates
• Therapeutic Ultrasound