TMJ is the Temporo-mandibular joint, the medical description for the jaw. The TMJ can cause a range of symptoms that can develop a need for treatment. The symptoms range from local pain around the joint, ear, temple, cheek, tongue, eye, neck, teeth and light sensitivity, sensi- tivity of hair and scalp, muscular hypertrophy of local muscles sur- rounding and assisting TMJ, limited range in motion of TMJ and neck, tinnitus, dizziness and vertigo among other symptoms.
There are many factors contributing to TMJ disorders seen in a physio- therapeutic practice such as teeth grinding, nail biting, dental work or missing teeth, neck, shoulder and lower back problems, poor posture, playing instruments such as violin and flute, sleeping on your stomach or weak neck muscles which puts stress onto the TMJ with swallowing. In a physiotherapeutic assessment we check for the pathogenesis. Genetics play a major role (development of the TMJ), history of trauma (missing teeth, wisdom teeth, dental work, and an over- or under bite) to the TMJ, hormonal imbalance, postural changes, sleep apnoea, de- pression, Post traumatic stress disorder and ergonomics like holding the phone in between ear and neck.
The assessment involves a range of tests to discover the reason TMJ problems. This includes range of movement, disc positioning (as there is a disc within the joint) and strength of the TMJ muscles, cranial nerve testing, postural assessment of the whole body and muscular strength assessment of the neck.
Treatment is focused on the best occlusal (contact between teeth) alignment possible and pain relief. Treatment includes techniques such as joint mobilisation, distraction and muscle release, trigger point re- lease, dry needling, postural education and strength training as well as self-management strategies to re-train a better occlusion and working together with the dentist to reduce stress on the TMJ and nearby structures of the upper neck when dental work is applied.