Jaw Pain treated by fully registered Coventry (BCA.GCA.) Chiropractors or our Coventry (CSP. HPC.) Physiotherapists, view our 3d animated model for (TMJ) Temporomandibular Jaw Disorders Syndrome, which can be found listed under”Types of Pain”in the”Neck Pain”Section, also available are 3d animated models for various Back Pain injuries and conditions such as (1) Sciatica (2) Degenerative disc (3) Herniated disc (4) Facet Joints (5) Scoliosis (6) Kyphosis, Posture (7) Back Neck and Pain Decompression (they can be found under the listing”Types of Pain” in our”Back Neck Pain”Sections).
For the management of TMJ syndrome Neck Back Pain, here at Central Chiropractic and Physiotherapy Clinic we use the latest Low Level Lasers which accelerate the recovery and healing process, leading to a significant reduction in pain inflammation. A 5 star rating has been awarded to Low Level Laser Therapy, our laser section can be found listed under “Pain Relief,” please also view our “Low level Laser Testimonial Video”.
Temporomandibular Jaw Disorders (TMD, TMJ Syndrome)
“TMD” temporomandibular (jaw) disorders, also called “TMJ syndrome.” If you felt pain sometimes in your jaw area, or maybe your dentist or Chiropractor has told you that you have TMD.
If you have questions about TMD, you are not alone. Researchers, too, are looking for answers to what causes TMD, what are the best treatments, and how can we prevent these disorders. The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research has written this pamphlet to share with you what we have learned about TMD.
TMD is not just one disorder, but a group of conditions, often painful, that affect the jaw joint (temporomandibular joint, or TMJ) and the muscles that control chewing. Although we don’t know how many people actually have TMD, the disorders appear to affect about twice as many women as men.
The good news is that for most people, pain in the area of the jaw joint or a muscle is not a signal that a serious problem is developing. Generally, discomfort from TMD is occasional and temporary, often occurring in cycles. The pain eventually goes away with little or no treatment. Only a small percentage of people with TMD pain develop significant, long-term symptoms.
What is the Temporomandibular Joint?
The temporomandibular joint connects the lower jaw, called the mandible, to the temporal bone at the side of the head or neck. If you place your fingers just in front of your ears and open your mouth, you can feel the joint on each side of your head. Because these joints are flexible, the jaw can move smoothly up and down and side to side, enabling us to talk, chew and yawn. Muscles attached to and surrounding the jaw joint controls its position and movement.
When we open our mouths, the rounded ends of the lower jaw, called condyles, glide along the joint socket of the temporal bone. The condyles slide back to their original position when we close our mouths. To keep this motion smooth, a soft disc lies between the condyle and the temporal bone. This disc absorbs shocks to the TMJ from chewing and other movements.
What Are Temporomandibular Disorders?
Researchers generally agree that temporomandibular disorders fall into three main categories:
- Myofascial pain, the most common form of TMD, which is discomfort or pain in the muscles that control jaw function and the neck and shoulder muscles;
- Neck Pain/Ache.
- Internal derangement of the joint,meaning a dislocated jaw or displaced disc, or injury to the condyle;
- Degenerative joint disease, such as osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis in the jaw joint.
A person may have one or more of these conditions at the same time.
T M J Treatment
If you place your fingers in front of each ear and open your jaw, you’ll feel lots of clicking, or a grinding movement. This is the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), a place where your skull’s temporal bone attaches to your mandible (Jaw).
Because this joint comprises of a large number of ligaments, cartilage, fascia, discs, muscles, nerves and blood vessels that run around and through it, you can have all kinds of problems: trouble opening the mouth wide; a locked jaw; headache; clicking or popping sounds, tinnitus (ringing in the ears); throat fullness; shoulder, cheek or jaw pain; neck ache; facial nerve pain; ear or eye pain; dental pain; nausea; blurred vision and dizziness when the TMJ joint is misaligned.
An unhealthy skull/jaw alignment can put great stress upon the spinal column. By relieving pressure on the upper neck and bones of the skull, chiropractic treatment may relieve or correct TMJ problems. There are also documented cases of dental problems that, once corrected, help patients to hold their spinal adjustments for longer periods between chiropractic treatments.
All TMJ sufferers need chiropractic treatment; anyone who has been to the dentist should follow up with a check up from their chiropractor.
