Managing Jaw Pain and TMJ Dysfunction

There are many different issues that can cause pain around the jaw and face. In fact, between 5-12% of people experience some kind of dysfunction in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). But the good news is, TMJ pain doesn’t have to stick around.

What causes jaw pain?
There are many factors that can contribute to pain in the jaw and around the TMJ joint. This can include:

• Teeth clenching and/or grinding
• Dental disorders
• Misalignment of the TMJ
• Degeneration of the joint, e.g. osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Bone deformities
• Muscular imbalances in the surrounding area such as the neck

 
Your jaw pain could be caused by one or more factors, depending on your situation.


Symptoms of jaw pain
If you have dysfunction in the TMJ, pain is an obvious symptom. But there are other symptoms caused by jaw issues to keep an eye out for, including:

• A tight sensation around the jaw
• Popping or clicking of the jaw
• Difficulty with opening and closing the jaw normally
• Headaches, particularly around the temple and eye area

 
You could also experience symptoms that come with generalised pain, such as nausea, lack of appetite, irritability and fatigue.
 
Assessing jaw pain
If you’re experiencing jaw pain, your best bet is to see your friendly local myotherapist (that’s me!). There are a number of things I will do to assess the pain. We’ll look at:

• If there is side to side movement during open and closing of the mouth
• How the jaw moves during open and closing
• If there is an audible clicking or popping
• How controlled the movement of the jaw is
• When the pain is experienced

 
There will also be some palpation, or feeling, of the jaw. This will tell me whether one side is tighter compared to the other, which may be maintaining your jaws dysfunctional patterns.
 
What can be done to ease jaw pain
To get to the bottom of the TMJ issues, you’ll need to see a practitioner for assessment and treatment. But if you need some immediate release for your jaw pain, you can try this self-release technique.
 
Start with your fingertips pointing upwards on the base of the jaw. Press your fingertips down firmly (but not painfully!). You might feel a hard sensation - that is the tightened muscle. In one long, slow movement, roll your fingertips up the jawline, over the cheek and cheekbones, along the temples and up to the hairline. Do this slowly and deeply, taking 1-2 minutes from jaw to hairline. Open and close your jaw wide like you’re yawning. Then repeat the process 1-2 times.

In myotherapy, treatment of jaw pain may include mobilisation, myofascial release, trigger point work and intra-oral release. Intra-oral release is an internal treatment – I’ll get gloved up, and then use my finger or thumb to release the tight muscles of the jaw from inside the mouth. This can be painful – I’ve had it done to me as well! - but it is effective for the majority of clients with TMJ pain.
 
In my own TMJ treatment experience, I was having extreme tightness and pressure build up in the joints of my jaw. When I opened my mouth my jaw swung noticeably towards the left. When it got bad, it was a struggle to eat things like nut bars or anything that requires a lot of chewing. It took time, but between seeing my own Myotherapist and doing the self care exercises he gave me, I've mostly corrected the dysfunction and its very rarely painful anymore.

If you’re ready to release your TMJ tension, book yourself in for a session today.