Have you noticed joints making more noise as you have gotten older? One of the strangest ones is the random popping I get in my jaw.
Does that ever happen to you? If so, and if it is painful, you may want to investigate it (our physical therapy team in McLean and Bethesda treats this!).
Open and close your mouth while feeling in front of your ears. Search until you feel the joint moving, called your temporomandibular joint (TMJ). This joint allows you to open and close your mouth and move your jaw from side to side.
The TMJ has a small shock-absorbing cartilage disc between the jawbone and your skull. If this disc moves out of alignment or there is arthritis in the joint, clicking, popping, and pain can occur.
The alignment of the TMJ is a product of everything below it. When I see physical therapy patients experiencing TMJ pain, I first check the position of the head, neck, and rib cage and look at posture. Check out this article to learn more about how to get your head, rib cage, and pelvis in the proper position.
This sometimes corrects TMJ pain, but we can’t stop here. Here are some factors that may also need to be addressed.
- Malocclusion: Malocclusion is when the teeth do not fit together correctly, resulting in jaw misalignment. This is when your dentist needs to work with your physical therapist as part of the healthcare team!
- Stress: Teeth clenching is associated with stress. Caring for your mental health is essential to helping TMJ issues. Many dentists also suggest nightguards for those of us that clench when sleeping.
- Chewing gum: stay away!
- Posture, especially while working: What posture is best? Does that even exist? Check out an article I wrote on that here.
Popping, clicking, and jaw pain is most likely a result of several different factors. TMJ issues usually require a healthcare team such as a physician, physical therapist, and dentist. Popping and clicking without pain likely isn’t much to worry about. Still, please see a healthcare provider if pain is associated with it.
At CHP, our physical therapists we evaluate patients with TMJ discomfort. If you or anyone you know would like help solving these challenging problems, contact us today!
