Jaw Pain and Headaches

What is TMJ?

TMJ refers to the temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) of the jaw. Those that experience jaw pain often refer to it as ‘TMJ’ or more accurately, “TMJ disorders are conditions affecting the jaw joints and surrounding muscles and ligaments. It can be caused by trauma, an improper bite, arthritis or wear and tear. Common symptoms include jaw tenderness, headaches, earaches and facial pain.” (Mayo Clinic)

Healthline says, “The muscles of the TMJ run along your jaw and cheeks, and sometimes these muscles can cause pain — even headaches. When the muscles in your jaw tense up — like when you grind your teeth — the pain can spread to other TMJ muscles alongside your cheeks and on the sides and top of your head, causing a headache.”

Headaches are the fifth most common reason for people to visit the emergency department according to a study by Luciani et. al 2020. Many headaches stem from neck, jaw or dental pain.

According to the Mayo Clinic, TMJ disorders are most often resolved with

Statistics

Research + Acupuncture

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2894813/

Links to stress, anxiety, emotional

Acupuncture treatment

Quotes from: TMJ Doctor doctortmj.com, Dr. Nojan Bakhtiari - NYC

thetmjdoc Dentist Priya Mistry in Vancouver Washington

Cindy Goodman Chiro

TMJ Disorders, Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tmj/symptoms-causes/syc-20350941