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The temporomandibular joints are two small joints either side of your jaw. The TMJs act like a sliding hinge connecting your jaw bone to your skull. These joints can cause pain in the jaw and in the muscles that control jaw movement if they become inflamed or irritated. Painful TMJ disorders can occur if the disc in the joint erodes or becomes misaligned, if the joint’s cartilage is damaged by arthritis or if the joint is damaged by a traumatic incident such as a blow to the jaw.
The exact cause of pain in the TMJ is often hard to determine. It can be caused by a combination of factors such as arthritis or trauma to the jaw. Some people who have jaw pain tend to clench or grind their teeth.
If you have TMJ disorder you might experience difficulty chewing and opening or closing your mouth and will have pain and tenderness in your jaw. The TMJ may feel like it is ‘locking’ and you could have aching around your jaw and in your ear. You may experience headaches, tinnitus, congestion, vertigo, neck stiffness and sinus congestion. Emotional stress such as depression, anxiety and anger can increase pain in the jaw area due to muscle tension.
This condition will be diagnosed from a physical examination and taking a careful history of the symptoms. The physical examination will involve static and motion palpation of the jaw. The practitioner will listen to and feel your jaw when you open and close your mouth as well as observing the jaw motion. Sometimes further investigation is necessary such as X-ray or MRI. Our therapists are experienced in diagnosing and treating TMJ problems.
We suggest you book in with an osteopath or chiropractor for this condition although most of our practitioners can treat many different conditions. They may refer you to your dentist for x rays or to the MSK doctors at Blackberry Clinic for steroid injections if the problem is very persistent.
In most instances TMJ pain will resolve with conservative treatment or injections. If it persists it is possible to have surgical intervention such as arthroscopy to investigate or joint surgery in the worst cases.
Manual therapy can help mobilise the TMJ joint and you may need to visit your dentist to get a mouth guard if you grind your teeth in your sleep. Anti-inflammatory medication can help as can the use of ice on the joint. In persistent cases, corticosteroid injections can help.
After a course of Prolotherapy my back pain has gone and I live a normal life. I can’t thank Dr Petrides enough for giving me back my quality of life
It would not be an exaggeration to say that Lorena has changed my life. Four months ago, having been diagnosed as having “severe, acute and chronic” disc degeneration I genuinely thought I was facing a life of disability (I am 49).
Lorena has re-taught me how to move my body and how to think about what muscles I engage to a point that I am now running, swimming and doing pilates again and have almost full flexibility in my spine. It almost feels like Lorena can see through your skin to your muscles, so profound is her understanding of how the body moves.
Following treatment at Blackberry Clinic, Milton Keynes my back pain improved and I could play for my country again
Just wanted to say please pass my thanks to my osteopath, I came yesterday with terrible back and shoulder pain and today I am pain free, am well delighted as had a day planned with friends was worried I wouldn’t enjoy, please pass my thanks onto her.
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