Temporomandibular joint disorder, also known as TMJ, affects approximately ten million Americans each year. This painful disorder develops when the jaw joint and the nerves around it become inflamed or irritated. As it becomes more dysfunctional, this jaw hinge will cause severe pain and increasingly more mobility issues. Once you reach that point, treatments are needed. Acupuncture vs conventional TMJ treatments: finding lasting relief naturally.
What Are Symptoms of TMJ?
Some of the signs of TMJ include the following:
- Pain/tenderness in the jaw that limits jaw movement
- Painful chewing
- Facial pain
- Ear aches
- Clicking sounds when moving mouth or chewing
- Locked jaw
- Inflammation in one or both temporomandibular joints
It’s also possible to have some of the above symptoms, but they are due to other issues like grinding your teeth, arthritis, sinus problems, and others.
Conventional Treatments for TMJ
The TMJ Association suggests several treatments to alleviate the pain from TMJ.
Medications
Prescription meds can help to alleviate the inflammation and reduce pain. They can also cause confusion, drowsiness and other side effects. OTC anti-inflammatory meds can also help.
Physical Therapy
Exercise and manual therapy can help and exercise is the first line treatment in the management of TMJ disorders, especially jaw strengthening exercises.
Soft Food Diets
Changing your diet to only consume soft foods will help to develop pain-free chewing. Due to the fact TMJ affects a person’s nutrition, certain deficiencies can happen. The TMJ Association has a nutritional guide to ensure you maintain a healthy diet.
Mouth Guards
These help to prevent teeth grinding which can reduce discomfort from TMJ.
Other Therapies
Dry needling, hot and cold therapy, and low level laser therapy are also used clinically.
How Can Acupuncture Provide TMJ Relief?
Acupuncture is the traditional Chinese practice of medicine thousands of years old that involves inserting needles into specific points in the body to balance the body’s energy flow and stimulate natural healing. It is a holistic solution to TMJ pain and is especially used as a complementary treatment with other conservative treatments suggested by your doctor.
Its greatest benefits include reducing inflammation and promoting healing targeting these root causes of jaw pain. It promotes relaxation, restores tissues, and increases blood circulation while relieving muscle tension in the neck and shoulder area. As you feel calmer, it helps to restore the function of the jaw.
Acupuncture provides double duty by physically relieving muscle tension and at the same time promoting emotional relaxation and a calming environment. Therefore it is a more balanced approach for improving this chronic disorder.
It is crucial that you identify experienced certified specialists to perform acupuncture treatments like the ones at the Acupuncture Clinic.
Consider that acupuncture is drug free and non-invasive. If you are looking for a treatment that does not involve drugs, acupuncture is a great choice.
Acupuncture for TMJ in Columbia
If you are suffering from chronic jaw pain, contact the Acupuncture Clinic to schedule an appointment. During your consultation, we will develop your treatment plan including trigger point acupuncture. Allow our specialists to help you find lasting TMJ relief naturally.
Sources:
How to Treat TMJ Disorder with Acupuncture and at Home
Can Acupuncture Help with TMJ and Jaw Pain? – Tannenbaum Chiropractic of Beverly Hills