Your jaw is guided by the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and issues with this joint is called temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD). The disorder is caused due to bad posture, chronic jaw clenching while sleeping, sleep alignment issues, a fracture, or other injuries. TMD can be identified by pain in the jaw, head, neck, and upper back, hearing a clicking, locking, and popping sound when the mouth is being opened or closed, jaw fatigue, or tinnitus (ringing in the ears).
It is recommended you meet with a physical therapist in order to get a proper diagnosis and to help lessen the pain of TMD. A physical therapist can examine your medical history, discuss previous surgeries or injuries, and conduct a physical examination of your neck and jaw. The posture of a patient and the way the neck moves will help the physical therapist determine if the TMJ pain is being caused by the alignment of the teeth.
The physical therapist will be able to treat the TMD in various ways after a thorough and proper diagnosis. Posture education is one way in which the physical therapist will be able to treat a patient, especially if it is found that the patient sits with their head in a position that places strain on the TMJ. While becoming more aware of posture is one way to improve the TMD, another way is to improve the movement of the jaw. Manual therapy will help increase movement in the jaw, relieve pain, and calm the nervous system overall. In severe cases, the physical therapist may want to use electrical stimulation in order to help reduce pain in the TMJ. If you are experiencing any pain or clicking in your jaw, it is advised to stop by your local physical therapist for an examination today!
Lake Country Physical Therapy & Sportscare PC offers the very best physical therapy in Ontario County. We treat all your wants and needs with our trusted and experienced Physical Therapists and staff. To begin to feel pain and stress free, start your Physical Therapy journey today and schedule your evaluation by calling (585) 396-1400.
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