Jaw Pain and TMD: How Physiotherapy Can Help
In today’s post we will focus on jaw pain. One common cause of jaw and facial pain is temporomandibular disorder (TMD). TMD affects the temporomandibular joints (TMJs), their surrounding tissues, as well as the muscles used for chewing and jaw opening.
Simple activities such as eating, speaking, yawning, or even opening your mouth can become uncomfortable sometimes. For some people, jaw pain may also be accompanied by headaches, facial discomfort, or neck pain. Today we will discuss how physiotherapy can be one part of a personalized approach to managing symptoms and restoring comfortable jaw movement.
What Is the TMJ?
The temporomandibular joints are the two joints just in front of your ears that connect your lower jaw (mandible) to your skull. They allow your jaw to move up and down, forward and backward, and from side to side. The joint is a modified ball-and-socket type joint, with a flexible cartilage (meniscus), and ligaments.
When problems affect these jaw joints or the muscles around them, the condition is generally referred to as a temporomandibular disorder (TMD).
What Causes TMJ Pain?
TMJ disorders can develop for different reasons, and commonly there isn’t always one specific cause. A few common causes we see in-clinic include: jaw clenching or injury, irritation of the joint, and muscle overuse/stress-related tension.
Due to the varied complexity of TMD disorders and how they may be caused, it is important to get an assessment to determine the appropriate treatment approach to your problem.
Common Symptoms of TMJ Problems
TMJ-related problems can cause a variety of symptoms, but generally people experience pain or stiffness around the jaw. Commonly, patients develop difficulties with chewing, reduced ability to open the mouth comfortably, and tender muscles around the jaw.
Some individuals can experience clicking or locking of the jaw joint, causing an inability to move the jaw normally. On occasion, individuals can experience pain that spreads into the face, temple, or neck. It is not uncommon for TMD to be associated with headaches as well.
How Can Physiotherapy Help TMJ Pain?
In general, physiotherapy focuses on improving movement of the TMJs, reducing muscle and joint-related symptoms, and helping you return to normal activities. Depending on your assessment, a physiotherapist may use:
- Jaw Exercises: Gentle, individualized exercises can help improve jaw mobility, muscles strength and coordination.
- Manual Therapy: Use of hands-on techniques may be performed to address muscle and joint restrictions in the jaw, face, or neck.
- Neck and Postural Assessment: It is common for other areas of the body such as the head and neck to contribute to jaw pain. A physiotherapist will be able to identify any contributing neck or movement related factors and treat them accordingly.
- Dry Needling or acupuncture: Sometimes these can aid in relaxing tight muscles and providing pain relief for neck, head and jaw pain.
- Education and Self-Management: Common strategies that are recommended include temporarily avoiding excessive chewing or very wide jaw opening. Reducing habits such as gum chewing or jaw clenching, and choosing softer foods temporarily if chewing is uncomfortable may be some of the recommendations of your therapist.
Conclusion:
Jaw pain and dysfunction is a common problem. Persistent pain, significant movement limitations, audible clicking, and locking of your jaw are reasons to be assessed. Many individuals can start with conservative management which can be facilitated by a physiotherapist.
If you are experiencing persistent or worsening jaw pain, difficulty opening your mouth, or jaw locking, consult one of the physiotherapists at Kamloops Physiotherapy & Sports Injury Centre. We can correctly identify the root cause of your problem and help you begin your journey to recovery.
This blog post was written by physiotherapist Jacob Coelho. To book an appointment with one of our other experienced TMD therapists, call 250-314-0788 or book online HERE.