Jaw Pain and TMJ Problems: How can a Chiropractor help? 

Have you ever experienced any jaw pain on a daily basis? Or have you noticed your jaw is making popping and/or clicking sounds? You are probably experiencing TMJ problems. 

TMJ, abbreviation for temporomandibular joint, is one of the hardest to work in the body. But that is the one that allows you to talk, chew and yawn. These joints are formed by the mandible or jaw bone, joining the temporal bone of the skull, right next to the ear. 

The muscles that surround those joints are responsible for the movements of your jaw, like up and down, side to side, back and forward. 

When you have a dysfunction or disorder at your TMJ, there are some symptoms that occur that usually are associated with joints and muscles being disrupted. And the term TMJ are usually used to describe a variety of conditions that affect the joints, muscles and facial nerves.

The most common symptoms of jaw pain or TMJ

Besides the pain itself and tenderness in the area, there are a few other symptoms that might indicate you have some problems happening in that area, including: 

• Fatigue; 
• Aching pain in and around your year;
• Chronic headaches;
• Restricted jaw movement;
• Difficulty chewing or experiencing pain while eating;
• Neck ache and beck pain;
• Sleep disorders; 
• Joints locked, making it harder to open and close the mouth;
• Aching facial pain; 
• Ear pain;
• Tinnitus;
• Sensitive teeth, when no other dental problems are found;
• Stress;
• Clicking noise while opening the mouth, accompanied by pain. 

Now that we know the symptoms, let’s understand a little better about the causes of jaw pain or TMJ. 

Causes of Jaw Pain 

There a few causes, that might include:

• Daytime clenching of the jaw;
• Grind of teeth while asleep;
• Arthritis or other musculoskeletal conditions;
• Stresses and pain in other areas;
• Misaligned bite, uneven teeth or incorrect bite;
• Trauma to the muscles of TMJ from an incident or injury. 

Even though we’ve shown you some causes, usually there’s a combination of many different causes that leads to jaw pain or TMJ problems. All the causes together tend to create tightness and dysfunction at the area. 

But it can be pretty challenging to identify what are the exact causes for your TMJ problem. Certified professionals like chiropractors can help you treat this condition! 

How can a chiropractor help with TMJ problems? 

Chiropractors are certified professionals that will help you with manual therapies to restore the movement to the Jaw. 

The treatment will depend on the extent of your condition. The chiropractor will exam you and will ask you questions about your routine, where it hurts, how it hurts and what you do to make it less painful. 

Then they’ll assess the issue by stretching the jaw joint and other soft tissue techniques to help relieve the tension on the muscles, like massages at the muscles. The disc of your joint may have slipped and depending on the directions, there are a few different adjustments that can be done. 

One tip they’ll probably give to you is to wear a guard in your mouth to prevent your teeth grinding, having neck adjustments, cold and heat therapies for the inflammation. The main goal of the treatment is to realign your jaw to make you feel better in the end. 

The chiropractor’s job is to reduce the tension in your joint and to release the muscles around that area as well. If you are experiencing any kind of pain or discomfort in the jaw area, you should seek medical attention. 

At BCW, we have a specialized team of doctors to help you get better as soon as possible. Contact us or book an appointment online right now!