TMJ Jaw Pain

When various internal & external jaw & facial muscles contract or spasm, there can be a lot of subsequent pain & discomfort when opening & closing the mouth or chewing food. Basic muscle manipulations, stretches, maneuvers & acupuncture can calm these spasms. In some cases, antispasmodic medicines can help in conjunction with physical modalities. The jaw is linked to the pelvis & sacrum from a kinematic chain perspective; this means the patient could actually have sacral dysfunction in the back, but as the dysfunction & maladaptive responses move upward, they make their way all the way up to the jaw! It’s imperative to get a thorough work up on the kinematic spinal chain, something we fortunately can do in-office. It is also very common for patients to have exacerbated clenching problems due to stress. Our office works on relieving stress with active physical therapies, relaxing the muscles, releasing tension, & bringing the patient’s body through ranges of motion with our therapists in order to help restore proper form, function & performance.