TMJ

Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) involves jaw pain and can lead to additional discomfort like grating joints or jaw locking depending on the severity of the damage. At Chiropractic, Rehab, and Sports Injuries of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky, Michael Young, DC, provides individualized holistic treatment for issues with your jaw. Call the office or schedule an appointment online today to learn more about TMJ and how it’s treated. 

What is TMJ?

Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) is a condition that impacts the function of the joints that control your jaw. You have one on either side of your face, and they connect your lower jaw to your temples. 

These joints are responsible for your ability to chew, yawn, and speak. When there’s damage in either or both of them, the resulting symptoms can include:

• Jaw pain
• Jaw locking
• Grating or grinding sensations when you open or close your mouth
• Headaches
• Earaches
• Swelling on the sides of your face

You can improve these symptoms with various types of jaw therapy. Holistic care at Chiropractic, Rehab, and Sports Injuries of Louisville can balance your jaw and restore function of the joints. 

What causes TMJ?

TMJ can come from several different conditions and behaviors. There might be a few different factors causing your jaw dysfunction. Dr. Young and the team explore possible causes for TMJ such as:

• Bruxism (teeth grinding or clenching)
• Stress
• Arthritis
• Acute injuries
• Joint disc problems
• Malocclusion

Depending on the underlying causes of your TMJ symptoms, you might experience the disorder for only a short time or for years. Additionally, the pain and other symptoms might be mild enough that you can ignore them for a while or severe enough to require urgent treatment. 

How is TMJ treated?

TMJ responds well to integrative and individualized care at Chiropractic, Rehab, and Sports Injuries of Louisville. Dr. Young and the team might have specific suggestions for your lifestyle, including finding a healthy outlet for stress or addressing an underlying nighttime teeth grinding tendency. 

You can also get treatments for TMJ like:

Dry needling

TMJ can often be improved with trigger point injections or with dry needling, which uses bare needles with no injectable medication to reduce muscle tension and improve circulation. 

Medical massage therapy

A medical massage targets a specific painful area, like your temporomandibular joints. Using careful techniques like manual manipulation, Dr. Young gently reduces tension in your facial muscles. 

Chiropractic adjustments 

Chiropractic adjustments work by aligning your joints and musculoskeletal system. This improves the condition for healing in the jaw if there’s an injury and reduces pressure on specific muscles around the joint. 

Schedule your appointment over the phone or online at Chiropractic, Rehab, and Sports Injuries of Louisvillle for more information about TMJ treatment today.