Temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMJ, can be a painful and frustrating condition to live with. It affects the joint that connects your jaw to your skull and can cause symptoms such as jaw pain, headaches, and difficulty chewing or speaking. If you’re experiencing these symptoms, you may be considering different physical therapy locations as a treatment option.
Keep reading to learn what Temporomandibular Joint Disorder is and how it can impact your daily life. Learn a little about the role of physical therapy in managing and treating TMJ like using different techniques and exercises. Whether you’re seeking relief from TMJ symptoms or simply want to learn more about this condition, the information below may provide you with the information you need.
Common Causes of Temporomandibular Joint Disorder:
The temporomandibular joint disorder is a condition that affects the muscles, ligaments and jaw joints. The disorder can be the result of multiple factors. Some of the causes include arthritis in the jaw, clenching or grinding teeth, jaw injuries, stress and malocclusion.
Some habits can make the condition worse. Some of these habits include chewing ice or gum excessively, chewing on pens or similar items, using teeth as a tool and even poor posture. Unfortunately, there are significant complications that can result from this disorder.
Complications of TMJ Disorder
The condition can create multiple issues like difficulty opening and closing your mouth, jaw pain and even headaches. It can result in jaw popping, neck and shoulder pain, toothaches and even ear aches among other issues. Therefore, it is critical to get help for this disorder before the symptoms and complications get worse. Treatment using Escondido physical therapy is an excellent option.
What TMJ Physical Therapy Can Look Like
If your healthcare provider has diagnosed you with Temporomandibular Joint Disorder, there are treatments that you can consider. Some of these include medication and mouthguards. There are also surgical treatments sometimes used to treat Temporomandibular Joint Disorder. Fortunately, physical therapy is a great nonsurgical and nonpharmaceutical option for treating this condition.
A physical therapist will use exercises to strengthen and stretch the muscles around your jaw. These exercises may include controlled rotation opening of the TMJ, gentle resistance while opening your jaw, clucking with your tongue on the hard palate, and other jaw movement exercises.
There are other exercises like those that work on your posture, upper neck distraction, and retraction of the shoulders. Your therapist will teach you the proper way to perform these exercises and ask that you do homework to get the best results.
Low-level electrical currents can be used to relax jaw muscles. Trigger point injection is another option that may be used to inject corticosteroids, for example, into painful areas of the jaw. Ultrasound therapy and behavioral changes are other options to treat this condition.
When you live with temporomandibular joint disorder, you suffer from multiple painful and disturbing symptoms. There is no reason to suffer any longer. Research physical therapy Murrieta to find the best physical therapist for your needs so that you can find some relief. Start enjoying your life again.
