TMJ / TMD
Acupuncture is uniquely suited to provide lasting relief from both the causes and symptoms of jaw pain, teeth grinding, and temporomandibular disorder (commonly referred to as TMJ or TMD).
Our jaws hinge on our temporomandibular joints. By working locally, acupuncture is able to target and release the muscles and connective tissue deep inside this joint space, an area that other interventions like massage and physical therapy have a harder time accessing.
Folks suffering from TMJ and jaw pain know that symptoms often don’t just appear locally at the jaw, but can present as headaches and referred muscle tension and pain in other areas. Our acupuncture sessions will often work to target these other areas of tension and tenderness, and provide relief from headaches, neck and shoulder discomfort, ear pain, and more.
In addition to working locally, acupuncture is remarkably effective at calming and relaxing the body’s natural stress response. We all experience stress and anxiety, and it’s not uncommon for people to process these emotions by tensing the muscles of the face and jaw. By breaking the cycle of physiological stress and clenching, we’re able to decondition these patterns of jaw tension, teeth grinding, and pain that are often at the root of TMJ.