Chiropractic techniques that work well on the spine can also be applied to other joints of the body, including the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) which is the ‘hinge’ connecting your jaw to the temporal bones of your skull on each side of your ears.
TMJ disorders include a range of conditions affecting the TM joints, jaw muscles and facial nerves, causing symptoms such as:
- Pain in or around the ear
- Headaches and neck aches
- Tenderness of the jaw or jaw muscles
- Pain or soreness in the jaw that is more profound in the morning or late afternoon
- Jaw pain when chewing, biting or yawning
- Difficulty opening and closing mouth
- Click or popping noises when opening the mouth
Chiropractic treatment for TMJ disorders applies massage, trigger point therapy, exercise prescription and activity modification to ease the pain, relieve tension in the muscles around the joints, either when used alone or in conjunction with other treatments.
