Physical Therapists successfully treat TMJ, but a lot shy away from treating this disorder. This disorder is easy to treat with most totally resolved in 2-3 weeks.  Physio Physical Therapy and Wellness in North Asheville, NC is one of the few places that effectively offers TMJ treatments that are fast acting and affordable.

Most patients report pain when eating foods requiring a lot of chewing, i.e. meats, pasta, legumes, gum. Patients also report pain while sleeping, yawning, and even just sitting at rest. Often patients complain of an audible “clicking”,  “popping”, and/or ”fullness” in their ears. In more severe cases patients state their jaw “locks” and even nerve pain in the face.

So What is the Cause of My TMJ? TMJ Treatment Symptoms

First, have a dentist investigate a patient’s bite. If the bite is off, or a patient has had recent dental work that involved prolonged opening of the jaw, pain can be the result. The temporal mandibular disc can be a source of pathology. Dental implantation can cause TMJ if the patient had a recent implantation of a crown or post and it is off by as little as 1 mm.

If the patient’s dentist rules out pathology from a dental standpoint it is then determined the source of the joint pain is from stress. Patients often grind their teeth at night and during the day leading to muscle spasms, myofascial restrictions and temporal mandibular joint inflammation. The three main muscles that go into spasm are the masseter (strongest muscle strand for strand in the body), medial and lateral pterygoid.

What can be done for TMJ Treatment? TMJ Treatment Pain

1) Identifying the underlying issue as stress, a relaxation program is a MUST

2) Postural re-education from a forward head posture and forward shoulders to proper anatomical posture

3) Identifying cervical misalignments and gently realigning, as physical therapists do. (Never should a high velocity thrust be performed on the neck. (As the incidence of what CNN reports ‘chiropractic stroke’ is on the rise)

4) Soft tissue mobilization and myofascial release to suboccipitals, masseters, and pressure point release to medial and lateral ptyergoids (check out this YouTube video on how to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnWnxCdH4CY)

5) Cold Laser Therapy to decrease inflammation and increase healing

Temporal Mandibular Disorder or TMD is on the rise in the U.S.. This is mostly attributed to stress; especially with a down economy more and more people are clenching their jaws during the day and especially at night. Find a physical therapist that treats this disorder for fast and effective TMJ pain relief.

If you are looking for more information on TMJ treatment, please feel free to visit our website or call today for a free screen, (828) 348-1780.

Christopher Taylor, MPT
Physical Therapist at PHYSIO Physical Therapy and Wellness in North Asheville

Websites: https://www.PhysioWNC.com

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https://www.PhysioWNC.com     Email: info@PhysioWNC.com       Phone:  (828) 348-1780

Christopher Taylor, PT

Chris Taylor is the Founding Physical Therapist at PHYSIO Physical Therapy and Wellness Asheville. He has been voted Best Physical Therapist in Western North Carolina every year by the Mountain XPress Reader Poll. His experience includes being a patient himself which deepens his understanding of each aspect of the rehab process. He has lived and worked in 11 states which contributes to the treatment style he has developed which breaks the mold. Become a better You today! #KeepAshevilleActive