TMJ

Your Chiropractor has Chiropractic and Soft Tissue Techniques for TMJ

Temporomandibular jaw syndrome, better known as TMJ syndrome, is notoriously difficult to treat. It may be caused from grinding your teeth while you sleep, upper neck problems, or trauma to the face as in a vehicle accident or substantial dental work. At Bluegrass Chiro we have a non-surgical, drug-free methods of pain relief that can help you find your way back to wellness.

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How can I tell if I have TMJ syndrome?

TMJ syndrome requires diagnosis by a health professional, but there are a number of telltale signs of the condition. People who have TMJ syndrome often experience many or most of the symptoms below:

  • Your jaw and teeth hurt all the time or nearly all the time. The pain radiates to your jaw muscles, where you feel a dull ache. You may also have neck and shoulder pain.
  • Your teeth have begun to slope inward on one or both sides of your mouth.
  • Your jaw locks when you try to open your mouth.
  • You have lots of ear popping.
  • Your bite is "off," uncomfortable, or different from usual.
  • Your face has begun to droop.
  • You involuntarily clench or grind your teeth.
  • The pain you feel gets worse throughout the day.

The overwhelming majority of people who develop TMJ syndrome suffer from a misalignment of the joints that hold the jaw in place as well as a muscle imbalance of the jaw muscles. That's where your chiropractor can help.

How Your Chiropractor Uses Soft Tissue and Chiropractic Techniques to Treat TMJ

Every case is a little different, but most of the time your chiropractor will start your TMJ treatment by working on three muscles that move your jaw:

  • The masseter is band of muscle about two fingers wide that runs along your chin. It sits right on top of your jaw.
  • The masseter attaches to a thin muscle shaped like a clamshell that runs up to your forehead called the temporalis.
  • There is also a muscle called the pterygoid inside the jaw that your chiropractor can work on, too.

Your chiropractor will release tension in these muscles and show you simple techniques of soft tissue release you can do at home. Then the doctor will ensure the alignment of the top two vertebrae in your neck, which "talk to" the muscles round your jaw.

Lasting relief from TMJ will take more than one treatment, but with every treatment your condition will get better. Chiropractic care can turn TMJ around so you can get your life back to normal.

Bluegrass Chiro is here to help

Bluegrass Chiro is the largest Chiropractic organization in Kentucky. Click here to Find your local office online and schedule an appointment today!

We have 12 chiropractic locations across the Bluegrass state to bring you pain relief that is local and convenient. Find your closest office and click below to visit that location and learn more about your local pain relief and chiropractic team.