Osteopathy and the TMJ

By Tegan Hailey

The TMJ known as the temporomandibular joint, is the joint that attaches your jaw to the rest of your skull. It is the most used joint in your body, and can be felt moving in front of your ears as you open and close your mouth.

When we get pain in our jaw it is known as a TMJ dysfunction, and can affect one or both sides of the jaw. However you don’t need to experience pain or tenderness to have a TMJ dysfunction. Surprisingly the TMJ can also be the cause of a lot of headaches, dizziness, ear and upper neck pain.

Some of the most common symptoms include… 

  • Clicking or popping as you open and close your mouth

  • Limited jaw opening, or jaw deviation while opening 

  • An inability to fully clench your jaw

  • Difficulty chewing, swallowing and drinking

  • Pain

Common Causes:

TMJ dysfunction is considered a multifaceted musculoskeletal disorder, with common causes including ...

  • Malocclusion: misalignment or incorrect positioning between teeth when they approach each other as the jaw closes.

  • Bruxism (grinding) or clenching your teeth 

  • Derangement or displacement of the articular disc in the TMJ

  • Imbalance of muscles which control the TMJ 

Contributing Factors:

Other factors that can contribute to TMJ dysfunctions include ...

  • Alignment dysfunctions or prolonged mouth opening due to dental or orthodontic treatment

  • Removal of wisdom teeth

  • Poor neck posture

  • Muscle pain

  • Stress

  • Whiplash and trauma

Treatment for TMJ dysfunctions:

As the TMJ can be the cause of headaches, dizziness, ear and upper neck pain. Osteopathic treatment includes assessing and treating the TMJ and surrounding areas including the neck, shoulders and ribs.

Osteopathic treatment includes a wide variety of techniques to help reduce your symptoms, increase mobility and relax your jaw and surrounding areas. In the case of malocclusion, you may need to be referred to a dentist or orthodontist for dental work alongside Osteopathic treatment.

For more information about TMJ dysfunctions please contact your osteopath. 


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