Do you grind your teeth? Do you find yourself gritting your teeth a lot because you’re stressed out, or angry, or trying to hold in your emotions? Have you just had an oral surgery? These may be some of the many reasons you might experience jaw pain or TMJ disorders.

The temporomandibular joint is the hinge that connects your skull to your jawbone. Misalignment or tension in this area can cause pain in the head, jaw and neck; a popping or clicking in the joint; or pain when talking or chewing.

TMJ disorders can be extremely painful. It can be hard to concentrate when your head hurts, especially because often the reason isn’t clear. Many people have mistaken TMJ pain for ear infections and headaches with other origins. The pain may be ongoing or caused by a specific event, such as an oral surgery.

One of the treatments for TMJ disorders is chiropractic care. As chiropractors are well-versed in the alleviation of joint pain, it makes sense that they could help with managing TMJ disorders, seeing as the TMJ is a joint.

If you suspect you may have a TMJ disorder, talk to your chiropractor about the possibility. They can assess your symptoms and perform a series of tests to see if the pain you’re experiencing is, indeed, a result of a TMJ disorder. If they find that there is tightness in the jaw, they can do a gentle adjustment, and may also prescribe exercises to help loosen the muscles.

At Laird Chiropractic, Dr. Laird’s technique can be helpful for relieving pain in the jaw through the gentle release of tension. To learn more about Dr. Laird and to schedule an appointment, contact us today.