Jaw pain
What is it?
Do you wake up in the morning with pain in the face and jaw?
If this is the case keep reading…
Problems with the jaw (temporomandibular joint “TMJ”) can arise from intrinsic structures such as ligaments, muscles or articular meniscus. Problems can also arise from extrinsic structures related to the TMJ anatomically such as the skull, the neck or the shoulders. The nerve supply to the jaw, neck and shoulders are so closely related that it is not surprising when one is effected so can the other.
What is the TMJ? (temporomandibular joint)
The TMJ is defined as a highly specialised joint that represents the meeting point between the jaw and the skull. Articulation is in front of the ear (TMJ pain can often be felt around the ear). The jaw is one of the most mobile parts of our body: during the day it can move up to 2000 times!
The TMJ is responsible for the movements of our jaw, it is fundamental for the articulation of sounds, for chewing and consequently swallowing - but not only that: it is responsible for breathing, and making facial expressions (that's why when we have TMJ pain we may seem "impassive").
Here is a list of symptoms that may explain why so many of the complains you have or have had recently may be related to the jaw:
- Continuous joint pain
- Noises such as the "bolt" of the jaw or rubbing, but also a sort of click when the jaw is opened
- Annoyance when yawning, swallowing or even while talking
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Stiffness in the face
- Tensions in the cervical area
- Pain and fatigue of the facial muscles
- Pain and stiffness in the neck (cervicalgia), but also in the back and shoulders
- Earache or feeling of having clogged ears
Related issues
As well as being related to TMJ issues, these symptoms can also be related to bruxism (teeth grinding), to arthritis, to a malocclusion of the jaw, and posture.
How can the osteopath help?
The osteopath will look at muscular imbalances within the jaw, cranium, neck and shoulders as well as assessing globally and holistically.
First of all, the osteopath tries to understand if the closure and the opening of the jaw affects movements of the skull and the cervical spine. Through cranial osteopathy: techniques on the cervical spine; techniques on the ligaments of the jaw; techniques of detention of the masticatory muscles; the osteopath tries to bring comfort to the cranio-mandibular structures.