Treatment for jaw pain or TMJ Dysfunction and headaches
Whether a patient is suffering from pain, clicking, a locked jaw or headaches physiotherapy can help to resolve these problems.
This will involve a thorough initial examination. As well as taking a detailed history we will objectively look at the problem area and the general positioning of the body as it is know that posture has a huge impact on the jaw position and how the surrounding musculature works. Then we will look at how the jaw moves – actively, passively and how it interacts with the surrounding joints. Additionally we will look at how the cervical spine or neck is involved if indeed it is. This will include palpation of the joint and surrounding musculature externally and internally and assessing the strength of these muscles.
We have a variety of techniques at our disposal including manual therapy techniques whether this is specific joint mobilisations or soft tissue manipulations. A further addition to treatment which can be really beneficial is acupuncture for soft tissues and pain or cranial sacral therapy for treating different parts of the skull. Patients are all given a specific exercise programme which is set up to address their individual issues. This compromises of range of movement exercises, strengthening exercises and joint mobility exercises.
