TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT (TMJ) DISORDER
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) acts like a sliding hinge, connecting your jawbone to your skull. You have one joint on each side of your jaw. TMJ disorders (or TMD) can cause jaw pain in your jaw joint and in the muscles that control jaw movement.
Signs and symptoms of TMJ disorders may include:
- Pain or tenderness of your jaw, either the joints or associate muscles
- Aching pain in and around your ear, temple or sinuses
- Difficulty chewing, pain while chewing or fatigue
- Locking of the joint (trismus), either opening or closeing your mouth
- Noises while opening or closing your mouth like popping or clicking.
- Headaches, migrains, earaches or toothaches.
- Ringing in your ear (tinnitus) or feeling of fullnes in the ear
- Dizziness
- A change in the way your teeth fit together (malocclusion)
In most cases, the pain and discomfort associated with TMJ disorders is temporary and can be relieved with physical therapy, self-managed care or nonsurgical medical treatments.
Causes
The temporomandibular joint combines a hinge action with sliding motions. The parts of the bones that interact in the joint are covered with cartilage and are separated by a small shock-absorbing disk, which normally keeps the movement smooth.
Painful TMJ disorders can occur if:
- The disk erodes or moves out of its proper alignment
- The joint's cartilage is damaged by arthritis
- The joint is damaged by an injury, fracture or blow to the face/chin (or other traumas which can include a lengthy dental procedure or motor vehicle accident)
- Malocclusion (when your teeth don’t come together exactly as they should)
- Teeth grinding or clenching (Bruxism)
- Muscle tightness due to stress
- Poor head and neck posture
In many cases, however, the cause of TMJ disorders isn't clear.
How Can a Physical Therapist Help?
Physical therapists treating TMJ disorders undergo specialized training to address the unique needs of this patient population. I have completed this training and have treated TMJ disorders for more than 25 years. I will design a treatment program to decrease your pain and restore jaw function. Your program may include:
- Soft-tissue release using hands-on treatments to address muscle spasms and tightness.
- Dry needling can provide a more lasting release of muscle tension.
- Joint mobilization can address any stiffness in your neck and jaw joints to help restore movement.
- Therapeutic exercises will focus on specific exercises that can help you break the cycle of pain and spasm. These exercises will help address imbalances in the involved muscles and improve joint mobility to support and keep proper alignment of your head, neck, and jaw.
- Stress management can teach you ways to help you manage stress including helpful breathing exercises.
- Patient education aims to reduce your current discomfort and prevent future symptoms. Topics may include:
- Proper posture and body mechanics.
- Tongue resting position.
- Eating a soft diet when appropriate.
- Exercise.
- A self-management routine.