So now’s the time to speak about the joint that helps us speak!

The temperomandibular joint is medically known as the TMJ however commonly referred to as the ‘Jaw’.

A surprising number of people suffer from temperomandibular disorders (TMD), however very few people seek treatment. It has been speculated that one of the reasons why people experiencing TMD don’t seek treatment is simply for the reason, they don’t know who to seek help from!

Being the ‘jaw’ region, a number of people will seek help from dentists and doctors however very few people actually seek help from physiotherapists which is surprising as being musculoskeletal experts we are well equipped to treat this area.

So what is TMD and how does it affect you?

TMD is typically described as pain, clicking or locking of the joint between the mandible (jaw bone) and the skull. This joint normally allows smooth movement in order to open and close the mouth during activities such as talking and chewing, in addition the joint must allow sideways translation to enable grinding movements for those hard to chew bits of food!

The symptoms of TMD vary considerably and may include:

• pain in one, or both sides of the jaw region;
• an audible and/or palpable ‘click’ associated with movement;
• muscle pain; and
• difficulty with mouth opening or lateral movements.

Physiotherapy management for TMJ dysfunction focuses on a range of different techniques which may include:

• soft tissue release to the muscles;
• medical acupuncture/dry needling to release tension within the muscles;
• joint mobilisation; and
• advice and education regarding activity modification, food consistency and muscle patterns.

If you are suffering from TMD please do not hesitate to contact us here at Wellness Embodied Cairns.  We offer a very different approach to treating jaw pain in Cairns- to find out more, call 07 42319777 or email admin@wellnessembodiedcairns.com