TMJ Disorder

Do you experience Jaw Pain

Do you get jaw pain on either one or both sides? More than 10 million people around the world experience Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMD, also known as TMJ), which is fairly common.

What is Temporomandibular joint Disorder

Your jaw is attached to the temporal bones of your skull, which are located in front of each ear, by a hinge called the temporomandibular joint. Your jaw may move up, down, and side to side. Temporomandibular joint diseases are issues with your jaw and the facial muscles that regulate it (TMD). TMD is a condition that can make it difficult for you to open and close your mouth comfortably. It is characterized by pain.

Symptoms of TMJ disorder

You may suffer

  • Facial spasms,

  • Clicking,

  • Catching,

  • and popping sound in your jaw,

  • Trouble opening your mouth to speak or eat.

These symptoms may also lead to

  • Headaches,

  • Neck pain,

  • Jaw pain,

  • and a locking jaw that prevents you from opening or closing your mouth.

Treatment options by your consultant PT

Fortunately, there are ways to treat TMD symptoms and reduce jaw discomfort and pain your Consultant PT specialized in TMJ pain and will use a variety of techniques to do this. So, if you have TMD, what can you anticipate and how can your consultant physical therapist who specializes in this illness help

  • Manual Therapy: Improved movement and pain relief in tissues and joints are achieved by manual therapy and joint mobilization procedures.

  • Education: A physical therapist (PT) will show you how to adopt the improved posture, positioning, ergonomics, and sleeping postures to enhance the position at which your jaw, head, neck, and shoulders rest.

  • TMD Soft Tissue Mobilization: Treatment uses mobilizations to the jaw to aid increase joint mobility. This lowers discomfort, stiffness, and muscular strain, resulting in improved movement.

  • Massage: Using different massage modalities to relieve jaw pain. The purpose of massage is to enhance circulation and relax muscles so that the temporomandibular joint can move normally.

  • Dry needling: at trigger points to treat musculoskeletal pain.

  • Exercises for the jaw: Restoring normal, pain-free jaw motion is the aim of TMD exercises.

Causes of Jaw Pain

TMD can have a variety of reasons. These may consist of:

  • whiplash-like head and/or neck trauma

  • Articular disc displacement in the joint

  • spasms of muscles near the joint

  • articular arthritis

  • having a forward-facing head and rounded shoulders while sitting or standing

  • Muscle tension in the jaw and face can result from stress.

  • The clenching or grinding of the teeth

When the joint is overstressed, it can result in pain and dysfunctional joint mobility. Inflammation of the temporomandibular joint or of the muscles and ligaments around it may result from stress.

Exercises for Jaw pain

Jaw relaxation exercise

Behind your upper front teeth, softly place your tongue on the roof of your mouth. Relax your jaw muscles and let your teeth separate.


Partial mouth opening exercise

Put one finger in front of your ear, where your TMJ is located, and place your tongue on the roof of your mouth. Put your chin on the tip of your middle or pointer finger. Half-open your lower jaw, then seal it. There shouldn't be any pain, just a little resistance. This practise can be changed by putting one finger on each TMJ while opening and closing your lower jaw. In one set, perform this exercise six times. One set should be performed six times each day.



Full mouth opening

Put one finger on your TMJ and the other on your chin while keeping your tongue on the roof of your mouth. Back off your lower jaw entirely. Put one finger on each TMJ as you totally lower your lower jaw and back for a version of this exercise. To finish one set, repeat this exercise six times. Six times a day, you should complete one set.



Chin tucks

Pull your chin straight back to form a "double chin" while keeping your shoulders back and your chest high. Hold the position for three seconds, then 10 times.



Side to side Jaw exercise

Place an object measuring 1/4 inch between your front teeth, such as stacked tongue depressors, and slowly move your jaw from side to side. Increase the thickness of the item between your teeth as the exercise gets easier by stacking them on top of one another.



What to avoid

  • As part of your treatment plan, there are several things you should stay away from if you have TMD.

  • tense chewing

  • eating food that is tough, chewy, or crunchy

  • bad posture

  • grinding of teeth

  • Stress


Schedule your appointment now

If you want complete relief of your jaw pain and improve your quality of life, consult your consultant PT Prof. Hafiz Muhammad Asim today and schedule your appointment now.