Jaw Dysfunction Jaw Dysfunction

What we help with

Jaw Dysfunction

Finding Relief for Jaw Pain.

If you experience clicking and popping in your jaw every time you eat, you’re not alone. What may have started as occasional stiffness or discomfort has become more frequent, and you might be feeling an ache near your ear along with headaches. In severe cases, the jaw can become locked, making it difficult to eat or speak.

We understand that jaw pain can be debilitating and even frightening.

Our care offers a non-invasive, safe approach that is free from drugs and surgery to help alleviate your jaw issues. We take pride in considering your overall health to effectively eliminate your pain and achieve the best long-term outcomes.

Key Facts

  • CHIRO OR PHYSIO

    Both

  • AREA OF THE BODY

    Jaw, Neck

  • Pain Type

    Ache, Sharp, Lock

  • Common in

    High stress, Females 20-40

Understanding TMJ Dysfunction

Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) dysfunction is a condition that affects the jaw joint and surrounding muscles, leading to a range of uncomfortable symptoms. Individuals with TMJ dysfunction often experience jaw pain, headaches, earaches, and difficulty chewing or speaking. Other common symptoms include clicking or popping sounds when moving the jaw, facial swelling, and restricted range of movement. Stress and teeth grinding can exacerbate these issues, leading to increased tension in the jaw and neck.

Common Symptoms

  • Jaw ache, pain on opening or closing the jaw
  • Headache and neck pain often on the same side as stiff jaw
  • Clicking, popping and crepitus (grinding)
  • Inability to fit three stacked fingers between teeth when mouth opened
  • Difficulty chewing or speaking
Naturaliste Chiro-37-37

Our Approach

We find that there is generally a link with jaw dysfunction and poor spinal biomechanics. We also notice a correlation in jaw episodes occurring in more stressful times of life. Due to these factors we have a holistic approach to assessing and treating jaw pain.

At your Initial Consultation we will dive deep into the history of your current complaint and perform a musculoskeletal and neurological exam of the spine, neck and jaw. Using this data, we can sit down and map out a therapeutic solution for your complaint that aligns with your goals for your body.  Chiropractic care will focus on specific, safe adjustments looking to optimise alignment through the spine, neck and jaw, which can ultimately relieve pressure on the TMJ and restore proper function. Tissue release techniques (1) aimed at muscles in and around the jaw are also used to aid in holding corrections. We’ll also look at potential lifestyle stressors and addressing key ergonomic setups including pillow and workplace setup.

Our goal is to get you out of pain and restore function as quickly as possible so that you can regain comfort and freedom in your day to day. If you have been suffering from jaw pain, clicking or stiffness, we’d love to help.

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References

1. Asquini, G., Rushton, A., Pitance, L. et al. The effectiveness of manual therapy applied to craniomandibular structures in the treatment of temporomandibular disorders: protocol for a systematic review. Syst Rev 10, 70 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-021-01623-7