Jaw Hurting? Acupuncture for Jaw Pain?
Does your jaw hurt a lot? Is it hard to open or close your jaw? Do you get headaches or have some kind of facial or dental pain? Have clicking or popping? There are some of the most common symptoms of TMJ, or tight jaw muscles. They can be incredibly annoying or frustrating. But have you considered acupuncture for jaw pain?
While jaw pain is an ever-present problem for many people everywhere, it has been on the rise in the last year. We have seen more jaw pain in the last 18 months than in the last 10 years put together. Why could that be?
It has been a stressful time to say the least since the beginning of 2020, and that has led to much gnashing of teeth. We are hearing stories of people with sudden or worsening pain in or around the jaw.
Jaw pain can range from being annoying to outright debilitating. If you’ve been suffering from TMJ or jaw pain, and you’ve seen a doctor about it, you’ve likely been through a lot already!
If you don’t like the medications, the night guards, or are tired of constantly feeling this way, keep reading.
What is Jaw Pain Really Like?
Tension in or around the jaw can present in a multitude of ways. Sometimes it presents as pain on the side of the neck, and sometimes the pain refers all the way to the base of the skull. It can come on suddenly, or it can come on slowly. You might notice that it is more difficult to open or close your jaw than it used to be.
Symptoms can include:
- jaw pain
- jaw clicking and popping
- ear pain/earache
- popping sounds in ears
- difficulty chewing
- dizziness/vertigo
- headaches (sometimes even in the back of the head)
- stiff or sore jaw muscles
- pain in the temple area
- locking of the jaw
- limited jaw range of motion
- headaches
- migraines
- clenching and grinding
- tooth pain
- blurred vision
- tight neck muscles
- shoulder pain
- muscle spasms
- pain with chewing
- pain at the base of the tongue
Sound bad? It really can be! Jaw pain is usually diagnosed as temporomandibular joint disorder.
What Makes You More Prone To It?
Several things can make you more prone to jaw pain including:
- stress
- being a woman from 18-44
- bad posture in the neck and shoulders
- history of chronic inflammatory arthritis
- atypically positioned teeth
How Can You Fix Jaw Pain?
Traditional solutions often include wearing night guards, avoiding chewing gum or hard foods, and the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen. When these basic solutions do not work doctors might recommend physical therapy, Botox, prescription medication, or in more extreme cases surgery.
These treatments obviously have their pluses and minuses. If the traditional methods are not working for you or giving you lasting relief, you should consider acupuncture for jaw pain.
Acupuncture For Jaw Pain
Using acupuncture for jaw pain is an option that many might not consider. Success rates in treating jaw pain with acupuncture are actually very high. We would say that in our clinic success rates are 85% or higher. We find that generally the results from acupuncture treatments last a long time as well, meaning that you don’t need to come for acupuncture forever to get relief.
Unlike using pharmaceuticals, Botox, or surgery the side effects of acupuncture are very minimal. Typically this just involves a little bit of soreness, and some rare bruising. Most patients find the acupuncture to be surprisingly comfortable, and effective.
What Now?
If you are tired of the symptoms and pain, consider using acupuncture for your jaw pain. If you are located in Richmond, Virginia, feel free to schedule your free acupuncture consultation.
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