Do you Suffer from Jaw Pain?

CASA

Pain & Inflammation

Do you Suffer from Jaw Pain?

Does your jaw click while you eat, or lock unexpectedly? Do you experience headaches and difficulty speaking properly? There is a wide range of symptoms associated with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder, but what causes this disorder and what can you do about it?

Jaw pain can occur on one or both sides of your face, it may be sharp or dull and may be localised or refer to your ear and face, but more often than not, it can be debilitating.

Your temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the main joint of the jaw – it connects your jaw to your skull and works to open and close the mouth. A normal TMJ is relatively silent and works in a pain-free motion while you eat and talk. So what can cause it to start giving problems?

Chiropractic treatment for jaw pain/TMJ disorder

What causes jaw pain?

Some causes of jaw pain may include:

Sinusitis
Trauma (e.g. being punched in the face)
Tooth abscess
Grinding teeth (due to tension or stress)
Arthritis in your jaw
Heart disease
Ear infection

Of course, not all these conditions may be treated by your chiropractor but they will be able to evaluate your situation and treat or refer you according to your medical history.

Symptoms of TMJ disorders

For some people, TMJ pain is localised in the jaw and face but it doesn’t always present the same way for everyone. Other symptoms can include:

Clicking or grinding in the joint while talking or chewing
Pain in the jaw while chewing and talking
Facial pain while resting
Aching in/or around the ear
Difficulty opening your mouth/locking of the jaw
Toothache
Headaches
Neck and shoulder pain

As you can imagine, these symptoms can interfere with your quality of life, causing problems at work, interrupting your daily routine and making it difficult to sleep.

Top tips for treating TMJ disorders:

While chiropractic therapy can help get to the root of the problem and relieve your pain by correcting your posture and spinal alignment, there are also a host of self-care remedies you can do at home.

Take a look at our top tips for easing painful TMJ at home:

If you’re struggling with TMJ disorder, and would like more information about your jaw pain, together with a personalised and professional treatment plan, then you should see a chiropractor. Find your closest CASA-registered chiropractor here.

Dislaimer:

This blog post is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Tags :

headaches, jaw pain, temporomandibular joint disorder, tmj disorder