Your Posture may be Causing that Pain in Your Jaw
Have jaw pain that doesn’t seem to go away? Maybe it’s time to take a look at your posture.
Based on muscular anatomy, placement of the head has a major influence on the position of the mandible (or jawbone). Here’s how.
A) Forward head posture tensions the muscle and pulls the jawbone out of position
A forward head is a combination of a flexed upper back and lower
B) A malpositioned scapula can further pull the jaw out of ideal position.
neck. This posture stretches certain muscles in the neck (such as infrahyoid, sternohyoid and omohyoid) which creates a (inferior and posterior) pull on the structures in the neck and jaw. Certain structures in the neck also attach to the shoulder blade (or scapula) and thus malposition of the shoulder blade, also heavily involved in poor posture, puts additional stress on the jaw and temperomandibular joint (TMJ).
Altering the resting position of the mandible changes how the joint articulates (connects) with the skull. The joint dysfunction may compress the tissue in the joint, creating pain, clicking, inflammation and muscle spasm.
Conventional treatments of jaw pain include:
- Adjustments to the involved joint to restore proper movement and mechanics to the joint. This may be done with manual techniques as well as instrument assisted (with the Activator).
- Soft tissue techniques to reduce muscle pain, tension and spasm to the afflicted neck and jaw muscles.
- Strengthening weak muscles to restore proper muscle coordination and function.
Additional treatments to consider:
- Adjustments to neck and low to upper back to restore proper joint motion and neurological input and patterning.
- Soft tissue techniques to involved muscles in the back to restore proper function.
- Assessing and correcting abnormal scapulothoracic posture (the way the shoulder blades are positioned on the upper back).
- Thorough analysis and correction of the posture of the neck and trunk as a whole.
Has your jaw pain been limiting you and it just doesn’t seem to go away despite different treatments and therapists? Maybe it’s time to take another approach. Book your free consultation with me today.
Look forward to working with you.
Best in health,
Dr. Joy
Book you appointment with Dr. Joy today
Like the Blog? Subscribe to get it sent straight to your email