Jaw pain is a common complaint that some people suffer with. They may have pain while eating and chewing, pain that comes on from clenching, or pain that happens when you sleep awkwardly. There are many causes of jaw pain. It may be due to misalignment of the jaw, muscle spasms around the jaw, or may even be coming from an issue in the upper neck.  Performing a physical exam of the patient can usually lead to a diagnosis of what is causing the pain and the type of treatment that can help.

A few months ago, I had a patient present to the office with severe jaw pain that came on a few days ago. The pain was on both sides, but more severe on the right. He had never had anything like this happen to him and he didn't know what had caused it. He was unable to sleep well due to the pain and could only eat soup. He could only open his mouth slightly. He wasn't experiencing headaches or neck pain. 

During his physical exam, it was noted that the base of his skull was jammed down on the right side of his neck. When this occurs, it can put a lot of pressure on the nerves that supply the jaw, which may cause jaw pain. He did have some pain in his neck when he tilted it back. He also had some tight muscles at the base oh his skull and in his neck which may have been causing him pain.

For the patient's treatment, I spent time doing soft tissue work on his back, really focusing on loosening up the muscles in his upper back and neck. This would make it easier to adjust him and also help the adjustment last longer because the muscles are less tense and more relaxed. When the muscle is more relaxed, it won't pull the adjusted area out of alignment. We also did soft tissue work and CranioSacral Therapy in his mouth and around his temporomandiular joint (TMJ) to further relax the area.I also performed adjustments of the lower back, upper back, and neck to correct any subluxations (or restrictions) that were found. 

The patient was also sent home with recommendations to help him get better faster. They included icing the area if it was painful, drinking water, and eating protein. 

Patient came back two days later for a follow-up visit. His jaw was less tender and he could open it a little wider, but he was still only eating soup. Everything that was done at the previous visit was also performed and I added in light Gua Sha technique around the right TMJ. This would increase blood flow to the area, allowing for a decreased healing time. 

The next visit the patient had was 5 days later. The pain in his right TMJ was almost completely gone, with the pain only present if he was chewing. Treatment consisted of a full spinal adjustment and CranioSacral Therapy in the mouth. 

Patient had no pain after three visits of consistent chiropractic care. He helped improve his healing time by taking care of himself while he was at home by following the at-home recommendations.