TMJ Pain

What is TMJ Pain?

TMJ pain makes normal activities such as chewing or talking difficult because all of these movements require a freely moving jaw. When TMJ strikes, it causes painful inflammation in the temporomandibular joint. This joint acts as a hinge between the skull and jaw bones, so it also causes considerable dysfunction.

Although not very many people think of the jaw and the knee together, in biomechanical thinking, they are functionally identical. Both joints swing at a relatively fixed hinge point. As a result, they are subject to wear and tear. Since the temporomandibular joint is crucial for survival-oriented activities such as eating and communicating, any dysfunction causes significant interruptions in everyday life.

Common Causes of TMJ Disorder

The skull and jaw bones have a cushioning disc between them to reduce friction between them, support the temporomandibular joint, and ease movement. This disc and the temporomandibular joint move forward as the mouth opens. As the mouth closes, this disc slides back into place. The popping sound many people with TMJ hear occurs when this disc doesn’t evenly glide back into position. As is the case with the discs in the spine, the temporomandibular joint disc can move from its usual location, causing pain and uneven movement.

Although symptoms vary depending on the extent of the temporomandibular joint’s displacement and the condition of the jaw, certain factors tend to cause this condition in most of our patients. These include bruxism or teeth-grinding, dental disorders, or jaw injury, which can occur in an auto accident. Sometimes, patients have conditions that cause joint degeneration, including some infections, autoimmune diseases, and arthritis. Most patients our chiropractor for TMJ pain sees have some degree of cervical spine or neck misalignment that can interfere with pain processing and worsen TMJ symptoms.

Symptoms of TMJ Injury

Although the lower jaw-skull complex can vary quite a bit between patients, TMJ causes pain and reduced range of motion in the joint for most of our patients. This makes enjoying favorite foods or even a pain-free night of restful sleep challenging, prompting many to search the internet for a “chiropractor for TMJ pain near me.” The following symptoms are some of the most common ones our chiropractor for TMJ pain sees here at West Suburban Wellness:

• Jaw, ear, or facial pain and tenderness
• Clicking sound, grating sensation, or popping when opening or closing the jaw
• Difficulty chewing
• Head, neck or shoulder aches
• Difficulty closing the mouth due to a locking TMJ joint

While these are the most common symptoms of TMJ, some of our patients have also reported dizziness, ringing in the ear, increased tooth sensitivity, “pins-and-needles” tingling in their arms or hands, and other seemingly unrelated symptoms. Since the jaw is critical for speaking and eating, any dysfunction can significantly impact everyday activities. If untreated, they can also cause health issues stemming from social isolation and poor nutrition, so we need to treat TMJ as soon as possible.

Chiropractic TMJ Pain Treatment

Although each patient is different, some TMJ pain treatment options work well for many of our patients. These include cervical spine adjustment, spinal remodeling, massage, and supportive nutrition coaching. In addition to these interventions, our chiropractor for TMJ pain also focuses on helping our patients make health-promoting lifestyle choices such as exercise, strategic supplementation, and daily stress management.

No matter which treatment options a particular patient will pursue, every patient receives a comprehensive assessment at the beginning of treatment. This includes health interviewing and a medical records review to understand a patient’s past health better. At West Suburban Wellness, our chiropractor for TMJ pain gets a current view of health by conducting a detailed examination, testing jaw movement, and performing imaging studies.

Cervical Spine Adjustment

Cervical spine adjustment is one of our favorite forms of TMJ pain treatment. During this therapy, we focus on finding and correcting what we call subluxations. These are misalignments in the spine that can hinder normal nerve function. The nerves are critical in chiropractic for TMJ pain because healthy nerve function is necessary for accurate pain perception. Realigning the neck can also reduce headaches, neck aches, and upper backaches that can contribute to TMJ pain. Nerves also control the flow of nutrient-rich blood through blood vessels, so they help determine the number of healing resources that can get to the temporomandibular joint.

Supportive Nutrition Coaching

Since the temporomandibular joint is essential for chewing, we offer our patients customized nutritional guidance. This coaching can include some detective work to determine which foods might exacerbate TMJ pain. It always provides information on foods to help build a stronger, healthier body.

Here at West Suburban Wellness, our chiropractors for TMJ pain enjoy helping patients enjoy things like a good meal, some conversation with a friend, and a good night’s sleep. Don’t let TMJ pain rob you of another day. Give us a call to schedule a comprehensive TMJ pain assessment today.