Best Treatment for TMJ in Richmond, VA

What Is Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorder?

TMJ disorder is the irritation or inflammation of the temporomandibular joint, which connects your lower jaw to the skull base. This can result in pain, discomfort, and swelling in the area. You may also experience some of the following TMJ symptoms:

• Pain when opening and closing your jaw

• Trouble closing your mouth

• Hard time relaxing your jaw

• Noises such as clicking when using your jaw

• Difficulty opening your mouth very wide

• Discomfort or pain while chewing

• Lockjaw

• Fatigue in your jaw or facial muscles

• Recurring and frequent headaches

If you are suffering from these common TMJ symptoms, you must seek medical attention and have a general or cosmetic dentistry expert evaluate your jaw. Temporomandibular disorders can be very painful, but you may benefit from a TMJ treatment designed to reduce muscle pain and relieve you.

Causes of TMJ Disorders

TMJ disorder can be caused by various things that can affect your jaws and mouth. Some of the most common causes of TMJ disorders include:

• Injuries to the face or mouth

• Misaligned jaw/misaligned bite

• Clenching or grinding of the teeth

• Arthritis in the jaw joint

• Infection in the jaw joints

• Autoimmune disease

It can be very difficult to concentrate and complete your daily activities or work when your jaw is in constant pain, or you develop headaches throughout your day. Both children and adults may experience the painful effects of TMJ disorder, and it is important to have that pain relieved. With the right TMJ treatment, you can be back to a normal life without the trouble from TMJ.

Best Treatment Options for Jaw Pain Related to TMJ Disorder

At Attune Massage Therapy, our Richmond, VA massage therapist, Jana, can recommend a wide variety of TMJ treatment options that may provide you with relief from the disorder’s symptoms. If you are dealing with the clicking or popping sounds mentioned above, you may need to see a specialist (dentist or orthodontist) see what is causing the sound and what treatments are best for it.

For tenderness in the jaw, face, or ears, you need to find ways to relax the area to reduce the pain. Our team at Attune Massage Therapy can use physical therapy techniques and massage to relax the muscles in your jaw and work to correct the problem in your temporomandibular joint. You may be able to get relief through heat or ice packs by chewing softer foods, gently massaging the area, or using over-the-counter pain killers.

In general, pain killers such as Tylenol or ibuprofen will get the job done temporarily. Sometimes even a corticosteroid injection into the temporomandibular joint can provide longer-lasting pain relief from TMJ problems. In very extreme situations, you may need to get a prescription for a stronger version of ibuprofen that is only available through a doctor’s prescription.

Not many doctors will recommend surgery as an effective treatment for TMJ, but it may be necessary for certain situations. TMJ arthroscopy and modified condylotomy are possibilities, but most doctors (and our medical massage therapist at Attune Massage Therapy) will first try non-invasive techniques on the joint before jumping to the extreme options.

Additional Reading: How to treat TMJ.

Contact Our TMJ Treatment Experts and Get a Good Night’s Sleep!

You are not alone if you suffer from TMJ disorder’s painful effects. Millions of people are also trying to deal with the discomfort of the condition, but you do not have to work through it on your own. There is relief available – all you have to do is give us a call at Attune Massage Therapy.

Our medical massage therapist, Jana, at Attune Massage Therapy, has the knowledge, skills, and expertise to help you with the pain you are feeling in your jaws and teeth resulting from TMJ. If you have a bad bite, grind your teeth, or incur an injury, TMJ may be a consequence, and the effects of the condition are a challenge to handle for anyone.

Thankfully, massage therapy from Attune Massage Therapy can provide you with comfort and relief. Our therapist can help you get same-day relief through her expert massage therapy techniques, and she is also happy to teach you various TMJ-specific exercises designed to keep the pain at bay.

Our team at Attune Massage Therapy in Richmond, VA, understands how difficult it can be to deal with pain in your temporomandibular joint, and we are here to help. We can also assist children suffering from the condition in their jaws through our pediatric TMJ massage treatment. No one should have to deal with the effects of TMJ disorder, and Attune Massage Therapy is here to help.

Contact us today at (804) 901-2952 to schedule your appointment!

Additional Reading:

How to relieve TMJ jaw pain.

How to get rid of ear pain from TMJ.

Is there any way to cure TMJ naturally?

How posture correction exercises improve TMJ symptoms.