Jaw Pain? Your Chiropractor May be Able to Help.
Can a Chiropractor Help with Jaw Pain?
Most people are aware that a Chiropractor can help with back or neck pain. You may even know that chiropractors can help with conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome. But I bet you may not know that your chiropractor may be able to help you with jaw discomfort.
The jaw is a moving, mechanical joint, which means that it can become misaligned just like any other joint in the body. When this happens, one of our expert chiropractors may recommend a gentle adjustment to realign the jaw.
If you suffer from frequent jaw pain, or you feel that your jaw doesn’t open and close properly, you may want to read the rest of this article.
Let’s gain a better understanding of the jaw, and the reasons it may be causing you pain.
Your Jaw, and How it Becomes Misaligned.
Your jaw is just as complicated as any other joint in your body. The jaw is made up of two joints on each side, known as the temoral-mandibular joint. Just like your spine, the joint is cushioned by a disc, allowing it’s movement to be without bone friction.
When the joint is dysfunctional, disc tissue may be trapped behind or in front of the joint hinge of the jaw. When this happens, you may hear a clicking sound, or feel a catching sensation while opening and closing your jaw.
Just like any other joint, there are a number of ways that it can become injured or misaligned. Below we have listed some of the most common reasons for joint or disc issues of the jaw.
- Ongoing Dental work
- Trauma to the area
- Poor head posture
- Stress
- Grinding your teeth
What are the Symptoms
- Pain in the jaw
- Headaches
- Ringing in the ears
- Grinding sound in the jaw
- Teeth Grinding
- Inability to open mouth all the way
- Jaw moves to one side when you open or close it
- Eye movement problems
- Muscle weakness in the jaw
- Chronic neck misalignment
- Neck pain
How can Your Chiropractor Help?
The overall goal of your chiropractor will be to restore proper movement to the jaw. Your chiropractor will first examine the jaw and how it opens and closes. Once he or she can determine the source of misalignment, a gentle adjustment may be applied. Not only will adjusting the jaw help it to re-align, but it may also release tension and help relax the muscles in the surrounding area.
If you grind your teeth at night, your chiropractor may recommend that you wear a mouth guard at night. He or she may also recommend massage therapy, neck adjustments, and heat/cold therapy to help reduce inflammation. Your Chiropractor may also recommend Cold Laser Therapy which can be very effective for TMJ discomfort.
Since the jaw is one of many joints in your body, the chiropractor is a great place to visit if experiencing jaw discomfort. Not only may he or she be able to ease discomfort, they can also advise you if the condition is more severe, and further investigation is necessary.
If you think that you may suffer any kind of jaw dysfunction, feel free to contact the Back and Neck Center of Brick. Our practice has diagnosed and treated many issues concerning the jaw, and we’re confident our doctors can help you too!
Come see why the Back and Neck Center of Brick has been Voted Best Chiropractors in Ocean County 9 Years in a Row! From 2009-2017 by Readers of the Asbury Park Press!
Sources:
www.WebMd.com
www.SpineHealth.com
