What’s the link between TMJ disorder and headaches?
If you suffer from tension headaches, it may surprise you to know that they could be linked to temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJD). We’ll explain more below and let you know how Osteo Health can help.
What is TMJ disorder?
First, it helps to know what TMJ disorder (TMJD) actually is.
The temporomandibular joints are located on either side of your jaw. They are like sliding hinges that connect your jawbone with your skull, enabling your jaw to move side to side and up and down.
TMJD refers to pain or dysfunction in the muscles around these joints in the jaw, neck or head or in the jaw joints themselves.
The disorder can be caused by wear and tear or injury and affects women more than men.
TMJD headaches
TMJ headaches are a result of problems around your temporomandibular joint.
When the muscles around your TMJ tense up, such as when you grind your teeth, the pain can spread to other areas and result in a headache.
TMJD symptoms relating to the jaw joints
- Clicking, popping, crackling or other noises when the joints move
- Episodes of the jaw locking open or closed
TMJD headaches location
Some people describe TMJD headaches as “tension headaches,” meaning they can feel like a tight band around the head, with pressure in the temples area.
The pain may also occur anywhere around the face or neck.
TMJD headaches symptoms
TMJD headaches are characterized by:
- Pain primarily around the temple, eye or ear area
- Pain elsewhere, such as around the TMJ area
- Difficulty and pain when chewing
- Problems opening your mouth fully
- Clicking or popping sounds when you open or move your jaw
- Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
- Changes in your bite (the way your teeth fit together)
If you have TMJD headaches, you may experience one or several of these symptoms.
How can Osteo Health help with my TMJD headaches?
When TMJ headaches are an everyday experience — or even if you only suffer from them occasionally — it’s good to know that help is out there.
At Osteo Health, we offer a range of gentle and effective treatments to relieve pain and discomfort linked to TMJD.
These include:
- Osteopathic adjustments — including stretching and applying gentle pressure and resistance
- Craniosacral therapy — relieving compression in the bones of the head, sacrum (the triangular-shaped bone at the base of the spine) and spine
- Myofascial release — gently manipulating the myofascia (the tissue around your bones and muscles)
- Laser therapy —to reduce inflammation and edema (build-up of fluid) and trigger tissue repair
- Ultrasound therapy — to stimulate the body’s cells, reducing pain and stimulating healing processes
Find out more about treatment for TMJD headaches
Don’t suffer in silence — if you’re experiencing TMJD headaches, the professionals at Osteo Health can help with a range of treatments.
We offer osteopathy in Calgary for a whole range of musculoskeletal disorders, including TMJD.
Call us at 403-814-0404 or book an appointment with us online at osteohealthcalgary.janeapp.com for a gentle solution to TMJD.
Check out our videos on TMJD!
Approved by Indira Ravaeva. Manual Osteopath. Member of National Manual Osteopathic Society and Osteopathy Australia.