Cumming Chiropractic Care for TMJ/TMD/TMJD Pain
Do you seek a chiropractor to help your TMJ or alleviate TMD symptoms? Make sure to engage a qualified Cumming chiropractor. The great thing about chiropractors is they don’t use medications or expensive and potentially risky surgeries to promote health. Instead, they use natural procedures and techniques to re-establish balance in their patients’ body. These procedures and techniques typically involve chiropractic adjustments or chiropractic manipulation of the areas with pain. As a result, the patient’s pain appreciably reduces, and their overall health improves.
But What’s TMJ?
TMJ stands for Temporomandibular Joint.
The temporomandibular joint works pretty much like a hinge. It links the temporal bone (in the head) to the mandible (the lower jaw). Thanks to this joint and a couple of muscles surrounding it, we can use our mouth without challenges. But just because you’re experiencing pain or discomfort in your jaw doesn’t always mean you have TMJ.
TMJ is pretty common and can be very painful. But the condition doesn’t exclusively affect the jaw. It may sometimes cause pain in other areas of the body. These areas may include the ears, the back of the head, and sides of the face.
What Causes TMD/TMJD?
Temporomandibular Joint Disorder or Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMD or TMJD). It’s a term used to refer to a set of conditions known to affect the temporomandibular joint.
When you visit your Cumming chiropractor, the doctor examines your jaw to establish the cause of the pain. But what causes TMD pain? It’s hard to say what causes this condition exactly.
The cause could be one of a number of factors or a combination of these factors. Stress (emotional and physical) and jaw dislocation or trauma are some of the leading causes of TMD. Jaw injury and certain types of arthritis can also cause TMD pain.
But stress doesn’t directly cause TMD. Here’s what happens: when you’re stressed out, there’s a high likelihood you’ll clench or even grind your teeth. Clenching or grinding teeth too often can lead to joint pain, which causes the disorder to occur.
TMD Symptoms
People battling TMD experience a slew of symptoms, for example, the condition causes a clicking or popping sound when the patient opens their mouth or attempts to chew something. The person may also experience a slight grinding of the teeth when opening their mouth or chewing.
These situations may or may not cause pain. If you feel pain or experience limitation of movement in your mouth, seek help. But if there’s no pain, you may not need to take any action.
Here are common TMD/TMJD Symptoms:
- Pain in the sides of the face
- Challenges while chewing
- Difficulty while opening or closing the mouth
- Severe pain around the ears
- Pain in the jaw
- Pain in the temporomandibular joints
- Headaches and migraines
- Neck, back, or shoulder pain
To alleviate TMD symptoms, you’re going to need to connect with the best Cumming chiropractor.
How is TMD Pain Treated?
For some people, TMD symptoms may disappear after some time without any treatment. In some cases, though, treatment is paramount.
When you visit our office in Cumming, a qualified chiropractor will discuss your symptoms with you. They’ll then examine your jaw to find where the problem is originating. The examination may involve listening or feeling your jaw as you open or close it.
They’ll also check whether your jaw has a normal range of motion. The TMJ specialist may also apply a bit of pressure on your jaw and surrounding areas. That helps them identify the pain points so they can recommend the appropriate treatment.
Our experts attempt to treat TMD through jaw adjustments or manipulation. The whole idea is to try and resolve the jaw’s structural issues. They’ll also guide you regarding the stretches you should practice to reduce pain in the affected areas. In case of excessive pain, our chiropractic care providers may use heat or ice to relieve it. We don’t hesitate (where necessary) to consult other specialists so you can receive the highest quality care possible.
How Long Does it Take TMD to Heal?
How long the pain takes to resolve depends on how long the patient has endured the condition. It also depends on the nature of the condition itself.
For someone who’s lived with the problem for years, resolving the pain may take a considerably long time. What if your problem resulted from a day or two of clenching or grinding your teeth? In that case, the pain may vanish within a couple of days or weeks.
No two patients experience the same TMD symptoms. An approach may help relieve pain for one patient, but it may not be effective for another. Our chiropractors keep your symptoms in mind as they design a treatment solution for your problem. Every patient gets a custom treatment plan that focuses on their specific symptoms.
Can TMD be Cured Permanently?
Treating the disorders of the temporomandibular joint is hard. Resolving the condition is so complicated that many people even believe there’s no permanent cure for it. But what makes treating TMD so challenging?
It’s because TMD isn’t fully understood. It’s also because the problem doesn’t always exist as a single condition. In addition, the temporomandibular joint happens to be among the most complex joints in the human body.
Sadly, there’s no permanent cure for temporomandibular dysfunction. But here’s the good news: quality Cumming chiropractic care can effectively reduce the pain.
Is a Chiropractor Good for TMD?
Yes. But your physician or dentist can also help you. Our chiropractors are fully trained in ART. They employ this technique to help provide pain relief for our patients.
ART is an acronym for Active Release Technique. This joint pain alleviation method isn’t a new invention. Chiropractors, therapists, and physicians have been using the technique over the past 30 years. And it works.
Do You Need Help with TMJ/TMD/TMJD?
TMJ pain can sometimes grow to intolerable levels. The condition can make your life miserable. It can significantly lower the overall quality of your life. Luckily, you can easily access professional advice.
Unfortunately, there’s no permanent cure for this disorder. However, high-quality, chiropractic care in Cumming should help relieve your pain. You don’t want to endure the pain any longer. That’s why you should contact us now and schedule a consultation.