Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is a common condition that limits the natural function of the jaw, such as opening the mouth and chewing, and can cause pain. The temporomandibular joint, or TMJ, is a hinge joint that connects your jaw to your skull in front of your ear. The TMJ guides jaw movement and allows you to open and close your mouth and move it from side to side to talk, yawn, or chew. Physical therapists help people with TMD ease pain, regain normal jaw movement, and lessen daily stress on the jaw.
What causes TMD?
Bad posture habits: One of the reasons TMD is so common is because many of us spend a great deal of time sitting at a desk, where we often hold our heads too far forward as we work. Long commutes, consistently carrying a child on the same hip, sitting on the couch—all can place the head in an awkward position and cause jaw problems. The "forward head position" puts a strain on the muscles, disk, and ligaments of the TMJ. The jaw is forced to "rest" in an open position, and the chewing muscles become overused.
Chronic jaw clenching: Many people clench their jaws at night while they sleep, usually because of stress. Some clench their teeth throughout the day as well, especially when dealing with stressful situations. This puts a strain on the TMJ and its surrounding muscles.
Problems with teeth alignment ("malocclusion"). If your teeth are positioned in an unusual way, greater stress is placed on the TMJ when performing everyday jaw motions, such as chewing.
Lock-jaw: where the jaw muscles spasm and the jaw cannot be fully opened—can be both a cause and a symptom of TMD. Other causes of lock-jaw include trauma to the jaw, tetanus, and radiation therapy on the face and neck.
Displacement of the disc or soft-tissue cushion located between the ball and socket of the TMJ, which causes popping or clicking of the jaw and, frequently, pain.
Arthritis in the TMJ.
Common symptoms of TMD include:
Jaw pain - the most common symptom
Jaw fatigue
Difficulty opening your mouth to eat or talk
Ringing in your ears
Dizziness
Headache
Popping sounds in your jaw
Neck pain
Locking jaw
How can a physical therapist help?
A physical therapist can help restore movement and alignment of the jaw to reduce jaw pain. A physical therapist will assess your posture and, if necessary, your workplace set up to assess how it affects your jaw position. A physical therapist will also work on improving alignment of the jaw by working on the musculature with hands-on techniques and specific exercises to improve motion and strength and reduce clicking, popping, and locking of the jaw to return to pain free activities. Contact our clinic today to see if physical therapy is right to treat your jaw pain!