One of the most underrated functions of the human body has to be the jaw. The jaw works through a combination of muscles, bones, and joints that enables us to talk, eat, and yawn. It also helps us maintain facial structure. TMJ, or Temporomandibular Joint Disorder, is a condition where there is pain in the joint itself, or in the surrounding muscles that control jaw motion. Common symptoms include:
- Jaw pain and discomfort in the muscles around the jaw
- Popping or clicking sounds when opening the jaw
- Headaches and even ear pain
- Limited range of motion when opening the jaw
- Pain with chewing food
What causes TMJ to happen? It could be an internal habit like grinding your teeth for years, or an external cause such as a trauma or a posture problem with the neck and jaw alignment. At Gateway Chiropractic, we offer a holistic approach to treating TMJ and improving a patient’s jaw function without drugs or surgery.
$49 New Patient Special
Includes Consultation, Spinal Thermography, Postural Evaluation, Digital X-Rays, 1st Adjustment & Report of Findings
How Our Care Plan Works
1. Identify The Root Cause Of The Problem
Schedule a consultation with one of our doctors to review your history and perform a detailed exam. If necessary, we will include X-rays to determine the exact cause of your pain and develop a plan to resolve the problem.
2. See Exactly What Is Wrong And Get A Plan On How To Fix It
After your first adjustment, the doctor will observe how your body responds and determine the best course of action. Our goal is to not only provide immediate pain relief but also to ensure your long-term health and peak physical function.
3. Regain Your Freedom To Do Everything You Want To Do
Receive the specialized care you need to address your health concerns today. Our goal is to help you return to the activities you love, ensuring that pain no longer dictates your lifestyle or prevents you from living life to the fullest.
How Gateway Chiropractic Treats Patients with TMJ Pain in Fort Worth, TX
Comprehensive Consultation and Exam
First and foremost, we will need to do a comprehensive exam to get to the root cause of the TMJ disorder. This involves going over a history of how the TMJ started, checking the alignment of the jaw and the cervical spine. Thermography and range of motion testing for the neck are important too, as there can be imbalances in movement with TMJ pain. Also, structural X-rays are important, as some of the muscles of the neck attach to the jaw, and subluxations (misalignments) of the neck can cause abnormal pressure on the jaw and the surrounding muscles, resulting in the jaw being pulled out of alignment.
Specific Chiropractic Care in Fort Worth, TX
Specific chiropractic care is important for all TMJ sufferers. By using X-ray technology, we are able to adjust the neck and jaw in a gentle, specific way to take pressure off the nerves and allow the muscles to relax. This greatly helps the jaw’s range of motion and reduces pain. We also have instruments that allow us to gently adjust the jaw along with manual neck adjustments to get the best results.
Therapeutic Rehab
Therapeutic rehab is something that people with TMJ don’t know much about. In our office, we want to not only take the pressure off the jaw and neck nerves, but also train the surrounding muscles to hold the correction in place longer. We use postural rehab techniques to help achieve this result. Specifically, correcting forward head syndrome with adjustments and muscle rehab allows us to address the root cause of a patient’s TMJ pain.
Nutrition & Supplementation
Believe it or not, you can also make some nutritional changes to help with the pain from TMJ. Focusing on soft foods instead of hard, sticky, sugary foods can help reduce the strain on your jaw when eating. Supplements such as omega-3 fatty acids and magnesium can also be very helpful in lowering inflammation in your body. Vitamin D3 and calcium are good for bone health, while hyaluronic acid and glucosamine are very helpful for joint health and can improve movement of the jaw.
Common Symptoms of TMJ Dysfunction in Fort Worth, TX
Jaw Pain
The jaw could be in pain with TMJ due to a number of reasons. It could be a combination of muscle strain or stress, trauma, or bad postural habits like sleeping on the stomach or grinding teeth. The best course of action with TMJ is to go to a corrective care chiropractor for adjustments and muscle rehab.
Jaw Popping or Clicking
If you’ve ever wondered why the jaw clicks when you open it, it could be from a few things. The most common reason is disc displacement of the joint. The cushioning disc can move out of its normal position and slide forward, resulting in the click sound that you feel and hear when you open your mouth. We have found the best treatment is adjusting the jaw with an adjusting instrument along with adjusting the neck.
Lockjaw
The jaw can physically lock or get stuck due to the cushioning disc sliding forward under the condyle, resulting in the “locked jaw” feeling when you open it wide with TMJ. This can be very painful and can take a long time for the surrounding muscles to relax and close the jaw back. By getting adjustments from a corrective care chiropractor, the jaw can start to glide back in a normal motion, resulting in less pain and less locking of the jaw.
Difficulty Chewing
This is a big problem for people with TMJ. Because it hurts to eat, a lot of people with TMJ don’t get enough nutrients in their diet. Depression from not being able to eat normal food can also develop in people who have TMJ. A combination of adjustments and soft tissue therapy can help alleviate the pain of TMJ and make eating easier.
Check Out Our Location Near You
3250 Hulen Street, Suite 140, Fort Worth, TX 76107
Frequently Asked Questions TMJ Pain
Can Chiropractic in Fort Worth, TX Help with TMJ?
Yes! At Gateway Chiropractic, gentle adjustments to the jaw and neck can greatly improve function and reduce pain for people who have TMJ.
Can Chiropractors Crack Jaws?
In our office, we use an instrument to adjust the jaw rather than a manual adjustment. We find this is easier on a patient and gets better results.
What Happens If TMJ Is Left Untreated?
The pain can get worse, and opening the mouth can become more restricted, making it difficult to talk properly or eat certain foods without severe pain.
What Causes TMJ to Flare Up?
Grinding teeth, eating hard foods, talking for long periods of time, sleeping on the stomach, and trauma can all cause flare-ups.
Can You Fix TMJ Without Surgery?
In most cases, yes. At Gateway Chiropractic, we have helped hundreds of patients avoid jaw surgery by using chiropractic treatment instead.
$49 New Patient Special
Includes Consultation, Spinal Thermography, Postural Evaluation, Digital X-Rays, 1st Adjustment & Report of Findings