A lot of clients come in to see me with headaches and jaw pain. As with a lot of pain symptoms, if you do not treat the source, it will keep returning. Headaches are one of the most common symptoms that I see and by asking specific questions about your health history, we discuss and explore possible causes to the source of the pain, and available treatment options. This blog article is to give you an insight as to a possible cause of your headaches.
The Temporomandibular Joint (most commonly abbreviated as “TMJ”) is the joint between the mandible (the jaw) and the skull. The larger muscles control jaw movement while eating/chewing, while smaller muscles control the finer movements (deviation to the side and controlling the disk movement) (Rattray & Ludwig, 2005, p.599).
Like other soft tissues of the body, the structures of the jaw can become irritated. The most common examples of this are overusing the muscles (prolonged chewing), malocclusion(shifting of the jaw for chewing, or from surgery etc), postural dysfunction, trauma (whiplash, direct force on the jaw, surgery) and increased stress (causing clenching or grinding of the teeth). Lock jaw is another type of dysfunction in the TMJ. It is caused by a subluxation of the disk, causing a “blocked” sensation with jaw movements. (Rattray & Ludwig, 2005, p.600-601)
Other than headaches, other common symptoms of TMJ dysfunction include a “clicking” or “popping” sound with jaw movements, pain and tension in the surrounding areas and decreased range of motion. Tinnitus, ringing in the ear, can be caused by TMJ dysfunction as common trigger point referral patterns refer to the ear. (Rattray & Ludwig, 2005, p.605-606)
So, now that you know what TMJ Dysfunction is, how can massage therapy help?
This type of treatment is known as Intra-Oral Massage. By working both inside and outside of your mouth, I can get a better grasp on the soft tissues surrounding the joint. This allows me to reduce swelling/inflammation, decrease muscle tension and trigger points and stretch short muscles. I use a vinyl gloves to use as a protective barrier while working inside the mouth to help loosen the soft tissues. This treatment helps to restore proper function on the TMJ and reducing your symptoms. (Rattray & Ludwig, 2005, p.611-615).
Remedial Exercise can help maintain proper range of motion of the joint. A follow up with an osteopath, chiropractor, dentist or ear, nose and throat specialist may be beneficial for more complex cases. (Rattray & Ludwig, 2005, p.616).
Are you experiencing headaches or ringing in your ear? Or notice if you clench or grind your teeth? Massage therapy may help with your symptoms. A lot of people are unaware of this form of treatment, so if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.
Until next time, stay well!
Reference:
Rattray, F & Ludwig, L. (2005). Clinical Massage Therapy: Understanding, Assessing and Treating Over 70 Conditions. (11 ed.). Canada: Talus Incorporated.
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