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TMJ

TMJ Causes, Symptoms and Relief

          woman with tmj pain in her jaw

TMJ is an affliction of the jaw area that can be extremely unpleasant. It involves stiffness and improper tracking of the jaw. There can also be persistent cracking and popping in the jaw area while yawning or chewing. There can be pain and discomfort while chewing or talking, and for some, the jaw can even become locked in the closed or open position.

TMJ stands for Temporo-Mandibular Joint Disorder. Your jaw is a hinged joint that controls mouth, face and mandible movements. In addition to the jawbone, there is a network of muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerves involved in its proper functioning. When part of this mechanism becomes out of balance, pain, stiffness, cracking and general discomfort can result.


The Causes of TMJ

  • Injury or damage to the jaw
  • Breakdown in the disc protecting the hinged area of the jaw joint
  • Damage to the jaw's cartilage
  • Poor posture
  • Arthritis
  • Stress causing excessive clenching of the jaw
  • Grinding the teeth and jaw while sleeping


The Symptoms of TMJ

  • The uncomfortable condition of TMJ is often characterized by symptoms such as:  
  • Jaw pain
  • Difficulty opening or closing the mouth
  • Cracking or popping sounds around the jaw
  • Pain in one or both ears
  • Pain while chewing
  • Headaches
  • Jaw becomes tender to the touch


How Chiropractic Care Can Help TMJ


Chiropractic treatment for TMJ involves a gentle, firm, targeted approach to help re-set the jaw for proper tracking and alignment. Once the jaw is back on track, many of the uncomfortable symptoms of TMJ will be relieved and alleviated.

Your Santa Barbara chiropractor Advanced Chiropractic Group can employ the Palmer approach and other professional chiropractic techniques to help ensure proper realignment of your jaw in a safe and non-invasive manner. Your jaw will then no longer stick, grind, lock, crack or pop. The results will be experienced immediately in form of pain relief and the cessation of the associated symptoms.


From there, your Santa Barbara chiropractor Advanced Chiropractic Group will also look into the potential deeper causes of the TMJ pain and symptoms. In many cases, there will be an issue with the upper back, neck or cervical spine at play as well. If so, this is often the root cause of the TMJ issue. Your Santa Barbara chiropractor will address these problems so that the chances of TMJ coming back again are greatly reduced.


Our Santa Barbara Chiropractor Treats TMJ At Its Root Causes

If you are suffering from TMJ pain and symptoms, rest assured that pain-free jaw movement can be in your future. Your Santa Barbara chiropractor Advanced Chiropractic Group features a team of experienced, professional chiropractors who can help get you out of pain quickly using safe, effective, non-invasive chiropractic techniques.

 For pain relief from TMJ or other issues of the joints and spine, contact your chiropractor in Santa Barbara Advanced Chiropractic Group to schedule an evaluation today.

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