TMJ/TMD/Jaw Pain treatment at The Balanced Spine
What is TMJ/TMD?
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder—also called Temporomandibular disorder (TMD)—refers not just to one but to a number of conditions that cause pain in the face, head, or jaw area. The TMJ is located just in front of the ears, and are the two hinged jaw joints that attach the lower jaw (mandible) to the bones at the sides and base of the skull (temporal bones). These joints allow the jaws to open, close, move side-to-side, and rotate in movements such as chewing, swallowing, or speaking.
What causes TMJ/TMD?
There can be multiple causes for TMJ/TMD. Trauma to the face, jaw or spine, neurological dysfunction of the Fifth Cranial Nerve (this nerve controls the jaw muscles), clenching the teeth, bone abnormalities, arthritis of the TMJ are potential causes for the TMJ disorder.
What are the symptoms of TMJ/TMD?
The symptoms of TMJ/TMD may include headache, tension in the jaw/face/neck muscles, jaw stiffness, pain or clicking sound when the mouth opens or closes. TMJ, which may be chronic (long-lasting) or temporary, affects more than twice as many women as men and most often appears between the ages of 20 and 50.
NUCCA chiropractic treatment and TMJ/TMD
There are significant indicators in the nervous system that help us understand why NUCCA chiropractic care is so effective in helping people with TMJ/TMD. Here at The Balanced Spine the doctors practice an exclusive form of chiropractic care called NUCCA, (National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association). The NUCCA approach targets resolving the underlying cause of the symptom and removing that nerve interference from the spine. The NUCCA procedure which is a light and gentle touch applied at the atlas, the top bone in the neck, balances the spinal column and skull to alleviate this spinal stress or nerve interference, and allows for the healing process to be optimized. ¬¬NUCCA is the only technique that corrects based on precise measurements of the relationship between the skull, C-1, and C-2 to the pelvis using X-rays.
The most likely link between the spine and TMJ/TMD is the fifth cranial nerve. The fifth cranial nerve exits the spinal cord and wraps up through the skull to where it controls the muscles of mastication (chewing). This nerve is very susceptible to injury when the bones at the top of the spine misalign (subluxate). If one, or both, of the fifth cranial nerves (there is one on each side) becomes irritated or impaired, it may begin to send too many or too few neurological impulses to the muscles of the jaw, causing the muscles to tighten and even pull the jaw out of place resulting in TMD. Correcting the spine will help return the nervous system to proper function, the muscles will be rebalanced and the patient can get relief and recover from the TMJ disorder. There have been many patients at The Balanced Spine who have felt their jaw shift back into place during a NUCCA chiropractic correction.
The doctors at The Balanced Spine have been working specifically with TMJ/TMD specialists with whom we have been able to achieve excellent results. In fact, one post-graduate dental collage (Las Vegas Institute of Advanced Dentistry) recommends that its dentists co-care with a NUCCA doctor when challenged with complex TMJ/TMD cases. Many patients find that they can manage their TMJ/TMD while others find that co-operative care with their dentist or doctor achieves the best results.
Whether you have a terribly complex case or just some minor tension in the jaw, we take these issues seriously and it is highly likely that your jaw will improve under NUCCA chiropractic. The TMJ/TMD has a reputation of being a highly complicated and frustrating problem to fix. Begin the treatment of the TMJ/TMD with us or add NUCCA chiropractic care to what your dentist/surgeon is already doing and begin to find relief from this painful problem.
If you or someone you know is suffering from TMJ/TMD/Jaw Pain call and schedule an appointment today.
http://www.thebalancedspine.com
(425) 369-1040 Issaquah, WA
(425) 437-9974 Redmond, WA
No comments:
Post a Comment