TMJ Symptoms
Tight jaw muscles can cause pain. The pain and discomfort can be local. However, did you know that the Temporomandibular joint (TMJ/Jaw) can cause a lot of dysfunctions away from the jaw? The symptoms can be felt to the neck, head and face. At times some people notice symptoms in and around the ear.
Some patients experience long-standing chronic neck, head, and face issues. They fail to realize these issues can stem from the jaw.
Find out if you could be showing signs of TMJ dysfunction. Watch the video now to learn more.
Causes
Tight jaw muscles can cause pain and the typical root is this. Most patients who schedule an appointment have issues such as grinding their teeth. Others chronically clench their teeth.
Along with the the local pain, they can have chronic headaches and neck pain. Typically they usually have terrible postures. They have a head forward position from working in front of computer screens for prolonged periods.
Sometimes the jaw pain can be from trauma, such as a motor vehicle accident. It can also be caused by chewing on one side more versus the other. Breathing issues such as mouth breathing can also contribute to this.
Tight jaw muscles can impact both the neck and the head. This can be a clue directing you to the jaw as a possible cause.
TMJ Treatment
How do we treat tight jaw muscles? The focus on jaw treatments is actually intraoral massage. If I were treating the jaw, I would wear surgical gloves. I would massage the muscles located inside the jaw and mouth. The jaw muscles that can be causing the pain and discomfort are mostly inaccessible outside of the jaw and mouth. This is why the treatment is performed inside the mouth.
This can be uncomfortable. It can last from 15 minutes to 30 minutes. Compensating areas will also be treated such as the head, neck and upper back.
It can take a series of treatments to release tight jaw muscles to get the full benefits of this therapy. Once the muscles are more relaxed, the patient can feel that their jaw is more mobile. Their symptoms diminish.
Watch this video on 7 Pain Prevention Tips for TMJ. Do you suffer from headaches and neck pain, watch this video from our Pain Relief Fitness site, vprc.ca here.
You should consult with a professional if you are experiencing the described symptoms. This will help you get assessed and treated. Call us and we can discuss the benefits of treating the jaw.
