Have you recently been diagnosed with a Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder? It’s important to understand just how this impacts your life and how to alleviate symptoms early on. The TMJ is essential for basic activities like chewing, speaking, yawning, etc. Any issues with this area of your body can lead to chronic discomfort and stiffness—something no one wants!
But just because you’ve been diagnosed with TMJ dysfunction doesn’t mean you have to spend the rest of your life in discomfort. You might be wondering, “Can a chiropractor help with TMJ?”. The short answer is yes, but it really depends on the severity of the dysfunction and symptoms.
Understanding TMJ Disorders and Their Symptoms
Before we move to solving TMJ disorders with chiropractic practices, it’s important to understand what they are and how they happen.
What is the Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ)?
The temporomandibular joint is a hinge-like joint that connects your jaw to your skull. It’s located just in front of the ear and is responsible for all jaw functions. Although hinge joints are common in the human body and found in knees, elbows, toes, and fingers, the TMJ has a unique structure even for a hinge joint. This is why this jaw joint tends to develop a lot of issues, especially in the joint socket.
Common Symptoms of TMJ Disorders
A TMJ dysfunction can manifest in different ways depending on a person’s habits. Common symptoms include jaw pain, popping sounds when opening or closing the mouth, and jaw stiffness in the muscles.
For many people, a temporomandibular disorder can be painful too. They find it hard to open their mouth fully or chew for extended periods of time. Along with strained chewing, difficulty opening the jaw, and other side effects, some feel extended discomforts like facial pain, earaches, and frequent headaches.
What Causes TMJ Dysfunction?
There are a lot of everyday habits that might seem harmless and contribute to the development of temporomandibular joint disorder. One of the most common causes is bruxism, or teeth grinding. Not only does it put excessive stress on the jaw, but it also overworks the TMJ. Excessive nail biting or chewing gum is also known to contribute to the issue.
But small habits aren’t the only root cause. You’re likely to develop TMJ disorders if you sustained a facial or jaw injury, especially if it was during a fight. Chronic muscle tension in the neck and jaw also tends to make existing TMJ issues worse. Knowing the cause of TMJ dysfunction is essential for a proper treatment process.
How Chiropractic Care Can Help with TMJ
Chiropractic care can help with a lot of muscle, joint, and bone-related issues in the body. Here’s everything you need to know about how chiropractic treatment can help alleviate your TMJ pain:
Addressing the Root Cause of TMJ Pain
Instead of treating the pain itself, chiropractic care focuses on identifying the root cause of TMJ dysfunction and targeting it directly. This helps with long-term solutions rather than just addressing the symptoms.
Chiropractors focus on restoring the alignment of the jaw and neck to reduce stress on the TMJ. If the nearby muscles are tense and stiff, regular sessions can help relieve that tension and improve the mobility of the joint.
Techniques Chiropractors Use for TMJ Treatment
Chiropractors don’t just have one singular approach to treat TMJ dysfunction but rather a combination of techniques. They check which are producing the best results for the patient and move forward with them. Here are a few to begin with:
Chiropractic Adjustments for the Jaw and Neck
In most cases, fixing the alignment of the neck and back is enough to reduce most of the pain caused by TMJ disorders. Chiropractors opt for spinal adjustments and neck alignment to help relieve nearby muscles of any tension.
Chiropractic adjustment sounds scary, but it’s a fairly simple process that has virtually no pain. It helps improve jaw function and can also alleviate other combination pains such as sore shoulders, back pain, and migraines.
Soft Tissue Therapies for TMJ Relief
Another approach that some chiropractors prefer is targeting specific muscles and subjecting them to soft tissue therapies to reduce tension. Think of it like a well-administered massage from firm hands that know just how to get out any kinks from tight muscles.
Regular soft tissue therapies help jaw muscles relax and can improve TMJ functioning. It also helps with stress relief and long-term health.
Complementary Modalities
Since the TMJ is so complex, treating its dysfunction is sometimes harder than it looks. Chiropractors may help readjust your jaw and spine, loosen tense muscles, and fix posture. But complementary modalities are essential in the healing process.
Doctors may recommend physical therapy to help promote better muscle function and other forms of care to reduce swelling after sessions. This is a more holistic approach to sustained TMJ improvement.
The Benefits of Chiropractic Care for TMJ Disorders
Chiropractic care isn’t the only way to address TMJ disorders, so why should you go for it? Well, there are a lot of benefits that come with this method of treatment:
Pain Relief Without Medications
To start things off, chiropractic care offers pain relief without any need for medications. You don’t have to rely on addictive medicines that block pain rather than alleviate it. This helps keep your body clear of any excessive anti-inflammatory medication and reduces the pressure on your kidneys from having to process complex pain relievers.
Long-Term Management of TMJ Symptoms
TMJ symptoms tend to become recurring problems for most patients, and this can be very distressing for some. Chiropractic methods help with the long-term management of chronic pain. With proven methods to relieve pain, patients can easily overcome the complications that come with TMJ dysfunction.
Improved Jaw Function and Overall Health
You need your jaw for a multitude of functions throughout your life. Imagine feeling pain every time you talk, even though your TMJ is supposedly fixed. Chiropractic care helps improve jaw function to reduce muscle-related symptoms like chronic headaches and improve your overall health.
What to Expect When Visiting a TMJ Chiropractor
Visiting a doctor of any kind can be a nerve-wracking experience, but knowing what to expect can help ease the mind. When you visit a chiropractor for TMJ care, expect the following:
Accurate Diagnosis and Personalized Treatment Plans
Chiropractors are experts at diagnosing TMJ as they are familiar with bone, muscle, and joint alignment and can spot issues immediately. Once you get an accurate diagnosis, the chiropractor will make personalized treatment plans for you based on the symptoms you’re feeling.
Treatment for Surrounding Muscles and Related Symptoms
TMJ dysfunction isn’t an isolated problem, and chiropractors understand this. They help soothe surrounding muscles and alleviate neck pain by targeting the temporal bone, shoulders, and other areas. You’ll feel less tension in your muscles and improved mobility over time.
Lifestyle Changes to Support TMJ Recovery
Chiropractic care alone isn’t enough to complete your TMJ treatment. The path to TMJ recovery calls for lifestyle changes to help reduce stress on the jaw and promote better joint movement. Some of the most important changes include:
Avoiding Triggers and Bad Habits
Like any chronic issue, TMJ has its triggers, and you need to steer clear of them. Some behaviors, such as jaw clenching, teeth grinding, and nail biting, can trigger TMJ pain, and doctors will ask you to manage these habits in the long run.
Supporting Recovery with At-Home Care
While you’re getting care in clinics, you also need to focus on the at-home aspect of TMJ recovery. The healing process requires jaw exercises at home that reduce tension in the muscles and help relieve pain.
Final Thoughts: Can a Chiropractor Help with TMJ?
On the whole, there’s no doubt that a chiropractor can help with TMJ dysfunction. A TMJ chiropractor can help you understand your condition and the steps you need to take for a full recovery. The treatment for TMJ isn’t just something you can get at the clinic, and there’s an equal responsibility on you to do your part to manage symptoms. At-home exercises can help with TMJ pain if done regularly and correctly. But most of all, you need a chiropractor with experience who can help your cause.
