tmj pain

Have you experienced pain in your jaw while talking or chewing? Do you suspect that you grind your teeth at night, or clench your jaw when stressed? Jaw pain can be extremely bothersome and can take the joy out of daily activities, including talking and eating. Fortunately, acupuncture offers an effective treatment option that will not only address the jaw pain itself, but also the physical and emotional issues that may be contributing to flare-ups. At Gotham Holistic Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine, we’ve helped many of our New York patients to get relief from chronic jaw pain with our personalized treatment plans.

“What Is TMJ?”

(What is Temporomandibular Joint Disorder?)

Temporomandibular disorder (or TMD) is a common cause of jaw pain. You may have heard it referred to incorrectly as “TMJ.” In fact, TMJ refers to the temporomandibular joint or the jaw joint, which is a normal part of our anatomy. The TMJ is a complex joint that acts like a sliding-hinge and connects your mandible (jaw bone) to the temporal bone (part of your skull). It allows your jaw to move up and down, side to side, and forward and back. This joint enables you to talk, chew, yawn, and swallow; anything that requires movement of the jaw.

Temporomandibular disorder (TMD), refers to any dysfunction of any of the structures involved in the joint including muscles, bones, ligaments, discs, and nerves. TMD is often experienced as pain in the jaw joint while chewing or talking. You may also experience restricted movement in the jaw or clicking or popping in the jaw joint. 

Signs of Temporomandibular Joint Disorder

TMD can be caused by a number of different factors including genetics, arthritis, a jaw injury, or bruxism,  which is the chronic clenching and grinding of the teeth. In some cases there are structural changes in the jaw like a displaced disc or arthritis. In other cases, there are no structural issues, but chronic tension in the shoulders, neck, and jaw can contribute greatly. Here are some of the signs that you may be suffering from TMD:

How Can Acupuncture Help TMD and Jaw Pain?

At Gotham Holistic Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine, we offer custom tailored acupuncture treatments to effectively treat TMD. We use a combination of Traditional Chinese Medicine and cutting-edge electro-acupuncture treatments for optimal results. We focus on releasing tight muscles and improving circulation in the area of pain, and addressing related issues like tight neck and shoulder muscles, and stress and anxiety. Our treatments work by:

Acupuncture for TMJ Pain or TMD

If you are experiencing jaw pain and would like to learn more or get started with acupuncture, reach out to Gotham Holistics for a complimentary consultation. We’ve helped many of our patients suffering from TMD to reduce pain and improve their quality of life, and we’d love to help you. Book a consultation to meet with our skilled and experienced TMJ acupuncturist to find out more about how you can benefit from our effective treatments for jaw pain. Book your appointment with us online today to get started! 

Studies on Acupuncture for TMD

1. Dietrich L, Rodrigues IVS, Assis Costa MDM, Carvalho RF, Silva GRD. Acupuncture in Temporomandibular Disorders Painful Symptomatology: An Evidence-Based Case Report. Eur J Dent. 2020 Oct;14(4):692-696. doi: 10.1055/s-0040-1716631. Epub 2020 Oct 1. PMID: 33003235; PMCID: PMC7536091.
2. Cho SH, Whang WW. Acupuncture for temporomandibular disorders: a systematic review. J Orofac Pain. 2010 Spring;24(2):152-62. PMID: 20401353.
3. Rancan SV, Bataglion C, Bataglion SA, Bechara OM, Semprini M, Siéssere S, Sousa JP, Crippa JA, Hallak JE, Regalo SC. Acupuncture and temporomandibular disorders: a 3-month follow-up EMG study. J Altern Complement Med. 2009 Dec;15(12):1307-10. doi: 10.1089/acm.2009.0015. PMID: 19958104.