Do you wake up with pain in your jaw? Is it difficult to chew food or open your mouth wide? Do you experience headaches, earaches, or neck pains? If so, you likely have temporomandibular joint dysfunction. This condition is often caused by stress and can cause a variety of symptoms. Luckily physio for the jaw can help reduce the severity of these symptoms! Read on to learn more about this condition and physio for jaw treatment options.
1) Why is this important?
A variety of factors can cause jaw pain, but physio for the jaw effectively reduces symptoms.
2) What are some common causes?
Stress
Muscle or ligament strain
Poor posture (e.g., teeth grinding)
A previous injury to the area
3) What are the symptoms of this problem?
Jaw pain
Headaches or migraines that are caused by jaw pressure
Swelling of the face
4) What does a physio do?
your physio will first ensure there is no structural damage to the jaw, such as a fracture
they can also help reduce symptoms by providing physiotherapy for headaches or migraines that are caused by jaw pain (or vice versa)
5) How long does physio take?
A course of physio treatment usually runs between 12 and 16 weeks. Your physio will recommend how often you attend appointments in this time frame. Remember – it’s essential not to skip any sessions! The more regularly you see your physio, the faster your symptoms will be reduced.
6) What physio treatment options are available?
Treatment for physio for the jaw is typically focused on reducing stress in your life. This can be done through meditation, mindfulness exercises, and cognitive behavioral therapy. Physiotherapists may also recommend stretching or strengthening exercises to reduce muscle tension around the area. Massage techniques might help as well! If these don’t work, other treatment options include acupuncture or manual therapy, which target specific muscles to increase mobility in the temporomandibular joint (the hinge between your lower jaw and skull).
Of course, you can also try some natural remedies for reducing stress on your jaw while waiting for physio results. Drink a lot of water throughout the day so that you have enough saliva flowing through your mouth; this will keep your mouth moist and free of cracks when you open wide while yawning or eating food.
7) What else should I know about this
Other treatment options include acupuncture or manual therapy that targets specific muscles to increase mobility in the temporomandibular joint (the hinge between your lower jaw and skull).
We hope this information has been helpful.