Yes, Chiropractors Can Help You With TMJ

Can Chiropractors Really Help You with Temporal Mandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ)?

Absolutely! How? Most people never think about it, but the ability to speak, chew and swallow or even yawn is a result of the jaw acting as a hinge to connect it to the skull. TMJ is a condition where this joint becomes inflamed or irritated. It can be extremely painful. The opening and closing of the mouth becomes difficult and a grinding or crunching sound comes from the joint. This can be caused things like:

• habitual gum chewing or nail biting
• teeth grinding
• dental problems
• injury
• stress
• occupational tasks
• arthritis

These events cause the tendons and muscles in the upper neck and jaw area to displace vertebra in the upper neck or displace the temporal mandibular joint itself. The result is further irritation and eventually symptoms such as pain, headaches, earaches, dizziness, muffled hearing, not to mention inconvenience of not being able to move the jaw freely. If not treated immediately, TMJ may lead to severe problems.

A chiropractor can help with treating TMJ in two ways:

1. Providing a Chiropractic adjustment to the upper spine, or jaw
2. Recommend exercise, nutrition, and lifestyle changes to speed healing and full range of motion

Chiropractors will perform a series of tests and evaluation of the spine, the upper neck area, and the jaw bone. X-rays will be taken to check for misaligned vertebra particularly in the upper neck. They will verify if one or both sides of the jaw are locking up. Once an assessment has been made chiropractors will perform an adjustment to either the neck, spine or jaw itself. This treatment has been very successful for many patients – all without the use of dangerous drugs and surgery.

Chiropractors are concerned with not only treating patients until their pain dissipates, but also assuring their problems are permanently eliminated. Chiropractic care focuses on the total human body, in the belief that is inter-related with both the environment and individuals’ lifestyles.

What are some of the philosophical elements associated with chiropractic care? Among them:

• Naturalism
• Rationalism
• Holism

Chiropractors can recommend certain pain relieving exercises that help to relax jaw. Meditation and massage are some of the other methodologies adopted by the chiropractor to treat their patients.

Some people believe pain medication will provide quick relief for their problems. While this is sometimes true, medications only provide temporary relief to pain and do not eliminate the cause. In addition, if covering up the pain with medication delays treatment the TMJ can become more severe and take longer to treat and recover from. Medications may also result in harmful side-effects. The practice of medicine is the third leading cause of death in the United States behind cancer and heart disease!

Surgery is another option for TMJ. But surgery can be costly, time consuming, painful, not to mention deadly!

In many cases, chiropractic care is more effective with treating TMJ than drugs and medicines. Not only is it more effective, it helps patients through care that is gentler, cheaper, and does not include the high risk of drugs and surgery.

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