The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is probably one of the most frequently utilized joints in the body. This pair of joints that bridge the upper jaw to the lower jaw is what helps us to speak, swallow, chew, yawn and sneeze. It is located on both sides of the cranium. Due to the functions that this joint have to carry out as well as the pressure and stress that it has to withstand, it could become the source of varying disorders that are collectively touted as temporomandibular joint disorder or TMJ.

TMJ develops due to different reasons. A whiplash or injury to the jaw as well as tempormandibular joint could alter the smooth motion of such parts, thereby causing pain or locking which could be responsible for the development of TMJ. Other possible causes of TMJ include grinding or teeth clenching, dislocation of the soft cushion or disc located between the socket and ball, and the presence of osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis in the temporomandibular joint. Stress and tension could also awaken TMJ, or could intensify an existing TMJ disorder.

These days, there are myriads of TMJ treatments available for TMJ sufferers including pharmaceutical and psychological treatment options. Unfortunately, most of the results of these treatments are not proven effective or for the long-term because they do not address the physical causes of the said condition. Luckily, physical therapy for TMJ is now available, patients can now alleviate the pain and discomforts of their TMJ.

Physical therapy for TMJ is noted to be a conservative yet reversible treatment for the said dysfunction. It focuses on gentle muscle stretching and relaxing exercises, along with the short-term usage of anti-inflammatory and muscle-relaxing medications. The application of physical therapy for TMJ is aimed to reduce the pain created by the disorder, decrease intra-articular inflammation or tendonitis, restoration of the normal function of the mandible, and normalize ROM.

There are different modalities through which physical therapy for TMJ can be facilitated. These include heat in the form of heat pack, ultrasound or phonophoresis; electrotherapy; cyrotherapy; and manual techniques like soft tissue mobilization massages, joint mobilization/distraction, or cervical traction. It should also be regarded that TMJ is a complex disorder that demands various levels of physical therapy, which is why it can sometimes be necessary to combine any of the aforesaid approaches in order to arrive at desired results. Similarly, since not all TMJ sufferers present the same clinical presentation, it is important that a therapist determines first the main causes of the disorder in order to establish a feasible physical therapy plan for the patient.

After receiving physical therapy treatment for your disorder, your physical therapist would educate you about the things that you have know about your condition, which in turn would help you in relieving TMJ-related pain and preventing possible TMJ symptom relapses. The education you will receive may include a home rehabilitation program with points like no chewing of gum, ice, and/or fingernails, no clenching of teeth, no wide opening of jaws when eating, singing, yawning and talking. You would also be given exercises that would help correct your posture while you stand, sit, and sleep.