Using acupuncture reduces pain associated with TMJ disorders in children and adults
If you’ve ever suffered with a TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorder you know that the pain and tightness can:
- Stop you from concentrating on work or school;
- Get in the way of eating a proper diet;
- Create increased stress, anxiety, and/or depression; and
- Cause headaches, neck pain, and/or eye pain.
Did you know that acupuncture is shown to be an effective tool for reducing TMJ disorder related pain, improving jaw opening and mobility, and reducing incidence of TMJ disorder related depression?
How and Why Does Acupuncture Work for TMJ Disorders?
Acupuncture works so effectively for TMJ disorders because the hair-thin needles can effectively release tight muscles in small areas where massage typically cannot reach.
In addition, because acupuncture helps to reduce stress and anxiety, it can reduce the cause of the jaw clenching and grinding for some clients. Acupuncture also helps to decrease the pain sensations processed by the brain.
A Case Study — Teenager Chris
Chris came to see us at Inspire Family Acupuncture in the summer of 2022 for TMJ related pain. His pain began when he contracted COVID two years earlier and had never released. On a pain scale from 0-10, he registered between a 2 out of 10 on his best days and a 6 out of 10 jaw pain on his worst days. That meant that Chris was always dealing with some degree of jaw pain whether it was low-grade or a more consistent throbbing and pulsing. The pain bothered him the most at night when he was trying to fall asleep.
Chris felt that he was not under too much stress; however his pulse diagnosis from a Chinese medicine perspective indicated a fair amount of stress and internal tension.
We treated Chris with a few needles directly in the tight muscles of the jaw and did acupressure on other parts of his body to reduce the jaw pain and also decrease tension and improve circulation.
Chris was amazed when we removed the needles and he opened and closed his jaw. He was literally euphoric, as he hadn’t had any relief from the jaw tightness and pain in the two years since it began.
After the first treatment, Chris’s jaw pain was completely gone for 2-3 days. We continued to provide treatments weekly for 4-5 weeks until the jaw pain diminished significantly. Chris was then unable to come in for acupuncture appointments for quite a while.
Two years later, Chris returned to acupuncture for support following a car accident. Thankfully the jaw pain was no longer an issue for him.
Will Acupuncture Be Right for My TMJ Disorder Pain?
There are several options for addressing TMJ disorder pain including some types of chiropractic care, some physical therapy, and acupuncture. If you are looking for a therapy that will also address underlying stress/anxiety/depression or additional issues such as gut health, insomnia, and/or other recurring pains, acupuncture is likely a good choice for you.
You can always call us at Inspire Family Acupuncture for a free consultation. Here’s to your health!
