Physical Therapy for TMJ

TMJ, also known as TMD or TMJD, is a disorder of the muscles and ligaments surrounding the temporomandibular joint, which connects the temporal bones of the skull to the jaw's lower mandible joints. Most TMJ sufferers are women in their childbearing years. Symptoms include "popping" or clicking of the jaw, jaw pain, head and neck aches, poor sleep and tooth damage. Luckily, physical therapy -- either self- or professionally administered -- can alleviate symptoms in most cases.

Self-Treatment #1: Modify Bad Habits

• Holding the phone with your neck can exacerbate TMJ symptoms.

  Some activities increase stress on your jaw. These include over-wide yawning, loud singing, clenching your jaw, biting your nails, chewing ice or gum, and "cradling" the phone with your neck instead of holding it with your hand. Even how and what you eat can be a factor: To minimize jaw movement, avoid overly crunchy or hard foods, cut your food into smaller pieces and chew with your whole mouth to avoid uneven wear on your teeth. Even small changes can produce significant symptomatic improvement.

Self-Treatment #2: Ibuprofen, Hot and Cold

• Ice and ibuprofen help relieve painful inflammation.

  TMJ pain is often caused by swelling and inflammation of the TMJ itself. With your doctor's okay, you can treat TMJ with ibuprofen or other NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). Heat and cold also work: Moist hot compresses applied to the jaw relax muscles, while ice and cold packs reduce swelling. Use as often as needed, including alternating hot and cold treatments -- however, limit each treatment to 10 to 15 minutes each.

Self-Treatment #3: Better Sleep, Less Stress

• Stress leads to jaw clenching, whether you're asleep or awake.

  Much of the jaw-clenching and teeth-grinding associated with TMJ symptoms occur at night, making them harder to control. You can help your sleeping self, however, by switching to a firmer or smaller pillow, one designed for TMJ sufferers, or even a neck roll. Sleeping on your side or back rather than your stomach helps too. Not enough sleep can aggravate TMJ; so can stress and poor diet. If you can't remove stress from your life, practice relaxation and meditation techniques, and exercise more.

Self-Treatment #4: Posture, Exercises and Massage

• Poor computer ergonomics can lead to aggravation of TMJ symptoms.

  Slumping forward while sitting, particularly with your jaw jutting outward, puts unnecessary strain on the TMJ and associated muscles. Proper posture aligns the body correctly. Practice proper facial and upper body alignment via chin-tucking exercises and resistance bands. Self-massage also helps alleviate symptoms. Massaging the muscles around the TMJ relaxes them; the mandibles are pressure points and particularly sensitive to stimulation.

When Self-Therapy Doesn't Help

• Sometimes, TMJ may be so severe that you'll need to turn to a physical therapist, dentist or physician for treatment. Those professionals may recommend a night guard, sometimes known as a "stabilization splint," to wear in your mouth at night. Other methods to relieve pain and misalignment include ultrasounds, biofeedback, electrical stimulation, and talk therapy and/or antidepressants to relieve stress. In almost no cases is corrective surgery warranted, because TMJ can go into remission at any time, and correction creates problems of its own.