Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Pain
What is TMJ?
TMJ pain is pain in your jaw bone which can cause pain for many reasons including poor posture, bad habits, growth disorders, injury or inflammation. It is very prevalent in the general population, and has been shown to particularly affect women between the ages of 20-50.
How do I know it’s TMJ?
Signs and symptoms include the following:
- Pain in the jaw or facial muscles
- Clicking, grinding, or locking in the jaw
- Headaches and dizziness
- Aching in and around your ear
- Difficulty opening and closing the mouth
- Pain when chewing or yawning
What causes it?
There can be many causes, but some of the more common causes include:
- Grinding your teeth (bruxism)
- Trauma
- Arthritis
- Stress
- Hormonal changes
How can physiotherapy help
Daisy, our specialist physiotherapist for TMJ disorders, will examine the position of your jaw, neck and tongue, as well as palpate the affected area, looking for signs of stiffness, swelling and spasm. Further assessment will look at the range and quality of movement in your jaw and neck, and look for signs of asymmetry in bite and excessive grinding of the teeth. Physiotherapy, should be your first line of defence against TMJ pain, potentially avoiding the need for invasive, irreversible procedures.
After a thorough examination, Daisy will identify the causative factors of your pain and can offer a number of treatment options including:
- Soft tissue release to affected muscles
- Mobilisation techniques to affected joints
- Where appropriate, provide advice on information to share with dentists and use of temporary splints
- Advice on pain management including liaising with your GP
- Providing exercises for your neck and jaw
- Acupuncture/dry needling
How do I book in?
This service is offered with our TMJ specialist Daisy, in Alresford. If self funding, please select or request a TMJ Initial Assessment at the first time of booking. Otherwise, if booking online with pre-authorised insurance, please choose an initial assessment corresponding to your insurer, then select Alresford, followed by Daisy to access her diary.
You can book online here, or visit our contact page for telephone and email options.
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