Chiropractic practitioners are best known for helping patients relieve back pain as well as pain in the neck and shoulders. However, their treatments are useful for other types of painful conditions, including migraine headaches. With treatment by chiropractors Colorado Springs has available, many people experience relief of jaw and facial pain that occurs due to temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMJD.
Spinal adjustments by chiropractors are intended to resolve subluxations, or misaligned vertebrae. These subluxations can cause the entire musculoskeletal system to become unbalanced, leading to a variety of aches and pains, along with a decreased ability to heal from health problems. Subluxations in the cervical vertebrae, or neck area, are sometimes associated with TMJD. This is understandable since the jawbone and neck are connected. Even people who don’t suffer from TMJD may also notice that neck pain they experience leads to the jaw and facial discomfort. They may not think of going to a chiropractor such as Brian C. Helland D.C for treatment until they hear about chiropractic success at treating this disorder. More research is still needed, but initial studies indicate the benefits of chiropractic care for people trying to manage the symptoms of TMJD.
For numerous individuals, episodes characterizing their TMJD involve sudden, acute pain when they open the mouth wide to eat, laugh or yawn. Although this is remarkably unpleasant, the discomfort dissipates relatively quickly. For others, however, TMJD causes longer-lasting and even chronic symptoms. An episode may lead to shooting pain in the face and neck that lingers for hours. The individual may develop frequent severe headaches and neck stiffness. With therapy provided by chiropractors Colorado Springs residents gain relief from these symptoms.
Along with treatments such as adjustments and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, therapeutic exercises can be taught to the patient. The patient is to practice these exercises at home per a prescribed regimen. Massaging specific points along the jaw joint can help as well. In addition, the individual also learns how to avoid opening the jaw to the extent where acute pain occurs. The actions of laughing, yawning and biting into an apple can all be modified to prevent symptoms.
