Physical Therapy for TMJ

TMJ, also referred to as TMD (temporomandibular joint disorder), occurs when the temporomandibular joint is out of place. This can cause pain and makes controlling the muscles in the jaw incredibly difficult. Luckily, our physical therapy in Massapequa can help treat any TMJ issues you have.

Symptoms

If you think you have TMJ disorder, look for these symptoms:

• • Popping sounds coming from your jaw

• • Pain radiating anywhere from the neck above

• • Migraines

• • Dizziness

• Struggling to open your jaw

Causes

There are quite a number of causes of TMJ. Some of those causes include:

• • Trauma – Heavy trauma to the jaw can eventually lead to TMJ. Sports like football, hockey, or boxing will increase the risk of a jaw injury because of the physicality of the sport.

• • Bruxism – Grinding of the teeth through stress and sleep can lead to TMJ.  Some people have tendencies to grind their teeth as a result of stress or anxiety.

• Poor posture – Slouching or incorrect posture can have a domino effect in regards to your TMJ. A misaligned spine can result in the lower jaw protruding out.

Physical Therapy Treatment

• Improving jaw movement –  Your physical therapist will use techniques by physically moving and stretching out your jaw.  By doing this, our physical therapist will ease the joints and bring flexibility back to the jaw muscles.

• Special pain treatments – If the previous techniques do not work then your physical therapist will move on to different techniques like electric stimulation and ultrasound to ease your pain.

• Referral to a dentist – If it isn’t your jaw, stress, or trauma, your teeth might be the problem.  If this is the case, our physical therapy in Massapequa can recommend a dentist to give you the proper care for your teeth and prevent them from getting worse.

If you’re in need of treatment for your abnormal jaw pain, our physical therapy in Massapequa at Park Physical Therapy can help treat you today! Contact us today to make an appointment!

Summary

Article Name

Physical Therapy for TMJ

Description

If you’re in need of treatment for your abnormal jaw pain, our physical therapy in Massapequa at Park Physical Therapy can help treat you today!

Author

Park Physical Therapy