TMJ disorders
The jaw joint is the most stressed and at the same time one of the most complex joints in the body. Its disorders can fundamentally limit our daily life.
Small joint
with great influence
Pain in the jaw joint is one of the most common problems, especially among women, which are sometimes only temporary and disappear spontaneously. However, in many cases the pain does not stop and keeps coming back in different intensities.
Long-unsolved pain in a chronic state can negatively affect other aspects of our daily life.
of adults aged 20-40 have jaw joint pain, but only about 5% seek professional help.
36%
Limitations in food consumption
Impact on the psyche
Sleep disturbance
Restrictions on brushing teeth
Inconvenient visit to the dentist
Worsening of headaches
Stiff muscles, inflammation or arthritis?
The problem of the jaw joint includes many different manifestations and even more causes. However, if we only talk about pain, it most often arises as a result of excessive and uneven tension of muscles and ligaments leading to incorrect position and function of the joint. Less often, the pain itself is caused by an inflammatory or degenerative disease such as arthrosis or arthritis. That is why we prefer to use the label of disorder or dysfunction of the jaw joint rather than the disease or inflammation itself, because these may not often be present and contribute to pain. Biopsychosocial factors have a significant influence, which you will read about below.
Causes
Jaw joint disorders usually have multiple causes that interact with each other. From the point of view of physiotherapy, we are particularly interested in certain imbalances in the muscle and joint apparatus, which can lead to joint dysfunction and painful muscle spasms.
However, we must never forget the psychological and social factors as well, as they often play a crucial role here, as well as increased sensitivity to pain.
Mechanical overload
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Excessive gum chewing
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Teeth grinding at night (bruxism)
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Frequent jaw clenching (for example, when stressed)
Bad
habits
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Resting the hand on the jaw while working
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Frequent chewing on a pencil or other objects
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Lip/cheek biting
Posture
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Increased neck and neck muscle tension
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Limited mobility of the cervical spine
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The occurrence of painful muscle spasms
Dental
influences
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Bad bite (malocclusion)
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More missing teeth
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Inappropriate dentures
Mental
stress
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Long-term stress
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Anxiety or depression
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Traumatic events
Other
causes
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Jaw injuries
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Inflammatory and degenerative diseases
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Hormonal changes
Symptoms
Manifestations of jaw joint disorders can only be of a one-time nature. However, they most often occur repeatedly at different intervals and in different intensity in connection with the tension of the masticatory muscles, teeth grinding, bruxism or worsening psychosocial effects: worry, stress, irritation, anxiety, depression, etc.
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Jaw pain - most often dull jaw pain on one side located under the ear and occurring when opening the mouth, biting, yawning or even at rest
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Pain in or around the ear
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Stiffness/pressure or even spasm in the jaw
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Skipping/peeling while eating or opening mouth
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Stiff and strained chewing muscles
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Headaches most often in the area of the temples and on the forehead
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Limited range and movement of the jaw to one side when opening the mouth
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Jaw pain/tenderness to touch
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Pain in the neck, cervical spine or in the area of the teeth
Manifestations can appear gradually with increasing intensity or arise suddenly. A typical example is visits to the dentist or dental hygiene, when the jaw is forced to remain open or in an unnatural position for a long time. Another such example could be bumps or blows to the jaw or opening the jaw too much, for example when yawning.
Together with jaw joint pain, other diseases such as insomnia, irritable bowel syndrome, depression, anxiety or tinnitus often occur.
Treatment
Due to the variety of possible causes and manifestations, the treatment of jaw joint dysfunction should always be viewed comprehensively and broadly. At the same time, treatment depends on the symptoms for which we decide to seek help. The most common of these are pain and sounds such as "crunching, popping, creaking" or skipping in the joint.
Pain
Pain is the most common symptom for which we seek professional help for the jaw joint. It can appear in the area of the jaw, ear or temples and is very often associated with stiffness of the masticatory muscles and limited range of motion. In most cases, the pain is not caused by a fundamental disorder of the joint structure, and as with other musculoskeletal disorders, conservative treatment in the form of physiotherapy is recommended in the first place before surgical solutions (with one exception described below).
Noises
In the event that you feel skipping in the joint or perceive different sounds when moving the jaw, is it always important if they are associated with pain or limitation of range of movement?
NO
Popping without pain or limitation is not harmful, in the vast majority of cases it does not tend to worsen or cause more serious problems, and is comparable to skipping in other joints. We recommend a preventive visit with us at Physiohub, where we will examine you, explain everything and show you the basic preventive recommendations.
YES
If the popping is associated with pain or occasional restriction of movement, it is good to solve the situation as a prevention of deterioration of the condition. Physiotherapy can again only be preventive, but repeated care may also be needed.
TMJ rehabilitation
Physiotherapy treatment of the jaw joint is based on a detailed initial interview and careful anamnesis. Thanks to this, we can get a broad insight into your difficulties. You can read below about the areas we work with in therapy.
Muscle
treatment
Proper
exercises
Change
of habits
Regime
precautions
Relaxing
techniques
Change of posture
For comprehensive care, it may be necessary to extend the treatment to other specialties such as dentistry, orthodontics or psychology. In this case, we will recommend or help you find the specialist.
When to see a doctor immediately?
As we mentioned above, there is an exception when it is good to make an appointment with the doctor directly. This is a situation called "TMJ locked closed", when the fibrous disc in the jaw joint no longer returns and thus fundamentally limits the opening of the mouth. In this case, a mini-invasive procedure is generally recommended, which will allow movement in the joint again. If you do not know where to order, do not hesitate to contact us, we will be happy to advise you.
What is your experience with jaw joint physiotherapy with us?
After several years of excruciating pain, I only learned at the ENT that it was inflammation of the jaw joint. After the first visit to Physiohub, my difficulties were reduced to occasional pain, which was only a shadow of the original one. A feeling I had not known for a good three years. Today, pain is a thing of the past. Perfect service, an empathetic and reassuring approach, these are the reasons why I return regularly and solve my other health problems, and I must point out that successfully.
František Ch.
I arrived with a problem with my jaw joint and at the same time I also had problems with my legs, through running... everything was perfectly explained and instructed. It's always nice when you feel good on a human level, and I felt very good here. I definitely recommend it if you are wondering where to go in Prague. Very beautiful and clean spaces close to the metro/tram.
Adéla V.
What you will get from your visit
01
Detailed examination by a physiotherapist
02
Better insight into the origin of pain
03
Therapy in the context of painful areas
04
Tips and advice to prevent difficulties