Chiropractic for Jaw Pain
Chiropractic for jaw pain should not be too hard to imagine as a possibility, unlike some other areas of chiropractic care - such as your foot (yes, your chiropractor can treat foot pain too!) Your jaw is close to your neck, and we all know that neck adjustments are common with these types of doctors, so it might not be hard to imagine that chiropractic care can help with jaw pain.
What is jaw pain?
Many of us think of jaw pain as “TMJ,” although the term really just stands for “temporomandibular joint,” which is the name of the joint in your jaw where one often holds a great deal of tension. This is where you will likely feel pain if any, and so if you want to be precise say “TMJ syndrome” or “TMJ disorder” instead.
Your TMJ is what connects your jaw bone to your skull. The bones of your TMJ are separated by a disc of cartilage that helps with movement of your jaw. Your TMJ therefore acts much like a shock absorber when functioning properly, allowing you to talk, chew, and yawn comfortably.
The reason we can sometimes feel pain in our TMJ is because the disc of cartilage in the joint can be displaced, usually due to muscle irritation or due to arthritis present in the joint. Symptoms of TMJ issue might include popping, clicking, muscle and/or joint tenderness, or even difficulty opening your jaw. Things that increase the likelihood of TMJ issues include stress, injury, or subconscious grinding of your jaw (e.g. while you sleep).
What is chiropractic for jaw pain?
When you go to see your chiropractor to treat pain in your TMJ, they will assess in what way your TMJ is being adversely affected. For example, one side of your jaw may be more swollen than the other, or you may have better movement on one side versus the other. To return your jaw to a more ideal state and relieve you of your pain, your chiropractor will do some soft tissue manipulation such as massage of your jaw and neck, and may even suggest using something like acupuncture to relieve some of the inflammation. Your chiropractor will probably also suggest some exercises to do at home to help diminish your symptoms.
Cutting down on stress and other factors that may be contributing to your jaw pain is a great way to help, so give that a try while you also make an appointment to see one of our chiropractors. Feel free to use the online booking link below, or call us at 416-909-2334. For more info on chiropractic for jaw pain, you can even email us at info@yellowgazeboclinic.com.
