TMJ & Jaw Pain Physio Cork

Symptoms

Symptoms can be anywhere between teeth pain when you wake up in the mornings, to changes in the way you talk and the orientation of your face. Some symptoms to look out for are as follows:

Pain on the side of the cheeks
Pain on the side of the head
Headaches
Difficulty with mouth opening
Pain in the neck and back of the jaw
Achy teeth after sleeping

How we treat it

Your physiotherapist will do a few assessment to test the muscles around the joint as well as the joint capsule itself this helps the therapist identify the cause of the pain and plan ways of management.

Treatment will look different depending on the individual symptoms. Some of the management techniques can look like hands on therapy, exercises and daily practical changes to integrate rehabilitation with your routines.

How physiotherapy works

What to expect

Your TMJ initial assessment takes about 45 mins, where we will take a thorough history to understand your specific pain points. This is then followed by an assessment of the jaw and the neck using hands on palpation as well as analysis of movement. If needed you may need an assessment on the inside of the mouth which should not cause any discomfort. Once the assessment is through you will be involved in the treatment process to help find the best approach for you.

Frequently asked questions

Will wearing a mouth guard when sleeping prevent grinding teeth?

While having a mouth guard at night may prevent tooth wear; however there is little to suggest that it may directly help prevent the cause of the grinding.

How to decrease jaw clenching?

Some research suggests that mindfulness and meditation can help decrease clenching. Otherwise treatments, like manual therapy, dry needling, jaw exercise and Botox can help decrease pain and improve quality of life.

How can teeth grinding affect your athletic performance?

There is evidence that suggest that chronic teeth grinding can affect, strength production, endurance, reaction time, mood and sleep quality, all which could negatively affect performance.

Why does your jaw click?

While there isn't one specific reason for a clicking jaw, it could be the start of a TMJ disorder. A clicking jaw may indicate that there may be other underlying changes in the jaw muscles. However, there are instances where a clicking jaw can also be asymptomatic with no future problems.

Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorders