Nicholas Evans has been treating temporomandibular joint disorders for over 20 years and is a member of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Temporomandibular Disorder (ACPTMD).
Pain, clicking and/or limited movement of the jaw is a common problem but it is generally poorly treated by physiotherapists, general practitioners and dentists. This is partly because it needs a multidisciplinary approach, but also because there is limited evidence of what works best for TMJ pain. There are more recent guidelines from the Royal College of Surgeons, British Medical Association, and British Orthodontic Society which outline that physiotherapy manual therapy and psychological therapies can be helpful for TMD tension and pain.
If you have a bite that does not meet equally, you may need orthodontic intervention to improve your teeth alignment. Often you will get TMJ pain when you are going through stressful periods in your life, causing increased clenching and grinding. This can be difficult to treat, but relaxation exercises and an awareness of this being a cause of your symptoms can help. You may neeed the help of a cousellor or phycholoigist to help you better cope with the stress in your lift.
Physiotherapy, in conjunction with a specific dental appliance/splint, can help to control or resolve the pain (although evidence for it effectiveness is limited and contradictory). Stress reduction, postural exercises, TMJ exercises, myofascial release and dry needling / acupuncture of muscles that move the jaw are all part of what the physiotherapist will do with you. Craniosacral therapy can be useful in some clients, especially those with stress and anxiety. If you are having problems with your jaw, book an appointment with e-physiotherapy Edinburgh.