Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMD) Infographic
The jaw joint is one of the most complex joints in the human body, allowing you to open your mouth, chew, talk, and yawn. Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) is a disorder of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), which is a hinge joint that connects the jaw to the skull in front of each ear. In the United States, over 10 million people experience jaw pain, dysfunction, and TMD. Physical therapy offers a non-invasive treatment option for TMD that can ease pain, restore normal jaw movement, and lessen daily stress on the jaw.
What is the Temporomandibular Joint?
Each person has two TM joints that work together as a pair, located in front of each ear. The TM joints connect the lower jawbone to the temporal bones of the skull. The two TM joints work in concert with the temporal and jaw muscles to move the jaw up and down, side to side, and forward and back.
Causes and Symptoms of TMD
Maintaining proper posture, neck mobility, and muscle balance around the jaw and neck is crucial for the correct functioning of the TM joint. Disorders of the temporomandibular joint can be caused by a variety of issues: poor posture, chronic jaw clenching or grinding of teeth, teeth misalignment, fracture to the head or face, surgery to the jaw or face, and lockjaw. Poor posture can lead to placing the head in a forward position, which strains the muscles, ligaments, and disk of the TM joint. The jaw is forced to rest in an open position, causing the chewing muscles to become overused and contribute to TMD. Lockjaw occurs when jaw muscles spasm and the jaw cannot fully open. The jaw can then lock or get stuck in a certain position, which leads to headaches and pain when chewing or talking.
Symptoms of TMD include:
Jaw pain and fatigue
Difficulty opening the mouth to eat or talk
Ringing in ears
Dizziness
Headache
Popping sound in the jaw
Neck pain
Locking jaw
Physical Therapy for TMD
Physical therapy is one of the most effective conservative treatments for TMD to decrease pain and regain normal jaw function. Physical therapy treatment for TMD involves pain management using heat and ice modalities as well as posture education and training to address forward head positioning and improve the resting position of the jaw, head, and neck. Physical therapists perform manual therapy joint mobilizations to stretch the jaw and restore jaw flexibility. Treatment also includes low-loading exercises to strengthen the jaw and restore normal jaw movement without exerting excessive pressure on the TMJ. Dry needling is used to target specific jaw muscles that are contracting and contributing to jaw misalignment and pain.
Temporomandibular joint disorders can be debilitating and limit your daily activities. Don’t wait to address jaw pain. Set up an appointment with your physical therapist to reduce pain and restore jaw function using safe, non-invasive methods!
