Temporomandibular joint
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) connects your jawbone to your skull. You have one joint on each side of your jaw. Disorders of the TMJ can cause pain in your jaw joint and in the muscles that control jaw movement.
The exact cause of a person's TMJ disorder is often difficult to determine. Your pain may be due to a combination of factors, such as genetics, arthritis or jaw injury. Some people who have jaw pain also tend to clench or grind their teeth (bruxism), although many people habitually clench or grind their teeth and never develop TMJ disorders.
In most cases, TMJ Disorder responds well to Physical Therapy.
Symptoms
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Pain or tenderness of your jaw
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Ache or fullnes in the ear
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Difficulty chewing food
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Pain in the face
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Locking of the joint, making it difficult to open or close your mouth
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Headache
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Neck pain
Treatment
To treat the symptoms listed above, our Physical Therapists utilize a combination of joint mobilizations, muscle relaxation techniques, and therapeutic exercises. The process is comfortable and rapidly effective for many patients.
Dry needling may be used as well to reduce muscle tension and promote relief of muscular tension in the face, jaw, and neck.