Do you suffer from facial pain, and chronic aching in your jaw? Has a doctor diagnosed you with TMJ? If so, myofunctional therapy can help BIG TIME! In fact TMJ and facial pain in general, is one of the biggest reasons that patients seek out an orofacial myologist, and myofunctional therapy at MyoMatters.
So What Is TMJ?
TMJ (temporomandibular joint) is attached to a plethora of muscles in the mouth and face, where it functions as a hinge for everything we do with the mouth and jaw. Chewing, speaking, cheering, EVERYTHING! So if you are one of the 10 million Americans who suffer from TMJ Disorder or TMD this can make even simple tasks painful.
Unfortunately, for many patients it can be extremely difficult to identify what's causing the TMJ disorder. The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research has identified numerous reasons why a patient would experience TMJ related pain, and it can be wide ranging:
Degeneration from age
Incorrect Tongue Posture
Sleeping on one side on a consistent basis
Posture
Structural Issues in the mouth
Physical Trauma
Teeth Clenching and grinding
Chronic Stress
Tongue-Tie
Autoimmune conditions
Nutritional and Dietary Issues
BUT THERE IS GOOD NEWS, myofunctional therapy can help correct and alleviate all of these symptoms through the innovative therapy programs provided at MyoMatters. As is the case for many medical conditions you should always speak with your primary care physician to determine if there are underlying symptoms that may need to be addressed.
Not sure if you have TMJ? Speak with your dentist about your symptoms and if myofunctional therapy is a solution for you. Generally, clients that come to MyoMatters with TMJ or TMD experience some or all of the following symptoms.
Earaches
toothaches
Dizziness
Headaches
Difficulty opening the mouth wide
Difficulty chewing
Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
Locking of the jaw
Jaw/facial pain
Pain that expands from the neck into the shoulders
Stiffness of the jaw
Pain when yawning
How Myofunctional Therapy Works to Combat TMJ
If you are suffering from any of these symptoms you might already be aware of some of the at home treatments such as heat pads, anti-inflammatories, ice packs and more. However, since any imbalance to the functional movement of the temporomandibular structure can lead to TMJ disorder it is very important to treat the underlying cause. And that is exactly what Myofunctional therapy can do; alleviate your pain and give you a better standard of living. So how can myofunctional therapy actually treat these root causes?
Simple. Myofunctional Therapy retrains and strengthens the muscles of the face to correct many of the root causes of TMJ. By strengthening the muscles of the face and the muscles of mastication, orofacial myologists are able to treat the root causes of TMJ in a way that other non invasive treatments cannot.
If you would be interested in learning more or how myofunctional Therapy can help you or a loved one contact MyoMatters at the link below and I will help you live a more happy and WAY less painful life.