Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder is a condition that is characterized by pain and tenderness at the TMJ — the joint on either side of your head that connects your jaw bone to your skill. The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research have reported that between 5 and 15 percent of people living in the United States will experience pain or dysfunction associated with a TMJ disorder. TMJ disorders can affect the way people talk, speak, eat, and breathe. This disorder may be caused by grinding or clenching your teeth, chewing gum, biting your fingernails, stress, postural abnormality, arthritis, or muscular imbalances. Some of the common signs and symptoms may include: joint clicking when opening or closing your mouth, facial, head, and neck pain, discomfort when chewing or yawning, headaches, and inability to fully open your mouth or locking of the jaw.
It is often recommended that TMJ disorders be initially managed through conservative, non-surgical treatments such as physical therapy. Physical therapy can help to alleviate TMJ pain and dysfunction by normalizing jaw movements through manual and self-stretching activities, improving posture through various flexibility and strengthening exercises, education in avoidance activities, and instruction in proper breathing technique to help limit teeth grinding and clenching.
County Physical Therapy will be offering a presentation on TMJ on Thursday, Oct. 29 at 11 a.m. at their Presque Isle location on North Street.
If you have any questions regarding this program or the upcoming presentation, please feel free to contact Felicia Bard, MSPT, at County Physical Therapy. She can be reached at 207-769-2160 or by e-mail at Felicia.bard@countypt.com.
Managing TMJ through therapy
By Felicia Bard, MSPT
