The Temporomandibular Joint, or TMJ, is a complex joint located in front of each ear. It is responsible for allowing mouth opening and closing. When there is something wrong with the TMJ, you can experience jaw pain, clicking, popping or locking of the joint. You also may have headaches, neck pain and ear ringing or pain.
At STAR Physical Therapy, we will perform a thorough evaluation to identify the source of the problem. The evaluation may include a history of behavior patterns such as grinding, palpation of muscles for tenderness or strength imbalances, palpation of the TMJ region, testing of the joint, length of opening/closing, movement pattern of opening/closing, jaw sounds, cervical spine range of motion, and posture.
We will work closely with the referring physician or dentist to provide the most effective care possible. Our goal is to provide pain relief using a variety of techniques including exercise and manual therapy. We also want to educate patients for self management including behavior modification, postural awareness, exercises, and other self management tools necessary to help prevent future painful episodes.