Many of our daily actions among them talking, smiling, laughing and chewing totally rely on the proper functioning of the temporomandibular joint. The so-called TMJ behaves like a sliding hinge that connects the skull to the jawbone.
Even a minor TMJ disorder such as the ones caused by fistfights or other sports-related injuries can expose us to a rather overwhelming dose of pain; what is even worse is that it can make us incapable of completing simple daily tasks.
Dr. Tod Cahill, an expert Atlas Orthogonal Chiropractor says ”it is usually very difficult to point out a single cause of a patient’s TMJ disorder”.
The irritating pain is often a result of a whole host of factors, some of which can be genetics, mechanical injury, arthritis, and bruxism (teeth clenching or teeth grinding).
In the great majority of cases the pain caused by the TMJ disorder is temporary and can be relieved with exercise, natural remedies and atlas orthogonal chiropractic, a non-invasive TMJ treatment.
HOW TO RECOGNIZE A TMJ DISORDER?
Not many patients are familiar with the TMJ disorder; consequently when they feel the first symptoms of this painful condition, they usually associate them with something completely different and much more dangerous. To avoid unnecessary stress it is useful to know that the most common signs of TMJ disorder are:
Extensive jaw pain and numbness in the same region
Pain in the temporomandibular joint or around the edge of your jaw
Severe pain around and inside your ears
Inability to chew and pain while trying to chew
Strong facial pain
Inability to properly open your mouth
Tinnitus
Dizziness
In addition to the above, many patients report the strange clicking sound when they try to open their mouth or chew. If such sensations are accompanied by severe pain you will probably need a TMJ chiropractor treatment soon.
A complex ailment such as the TMJ disorder is never a consequence of a single factor. When it comes to diseases and conditions that can increase the risk of developing a TMJ disorder, we should point out a few:
Arthritis — Combined with other factors, the influence of osteoarthritis and/or rheumatoid arthritis on the health of your temporomandibular joint can be extremely negative.
Jaw injuries — Mechanical jaw injuries are more than common among professional athletes who compete in contact sports such as boxing, MMA, American football, wrestling, and others.
Bruxism — Stress-induced teeth grinding and teeth clenching are some of the most frequent factors that can lead to TMJ disorder.
Connective tissue ailments — certain connective tissue diseases can cause TMJ disorder if not treated properly.
Narrow alveolar bone (the bone the teeth sit in) and/or deep alveolar bone.
Malocclusion– improper tooth position.
HOW CAN DR.TOD AND ATLAS ORTHOGONAL CHIROPRACTIC HELP WITH TMJ DISORDER?
Injuries, traumas and some physical movements can lead to the misalignment of the atlas bone which itself can cause inflammation and pressure in the surroundings areas like the TMJ through improper neck and head posture.
Once Dr.Tod adjusts the first cervical vertebrae C1 relying on the Atlas Orthogonal instrument and other non-invasive tools the atlas bone is back to its alignment and in many cases the TMJ pain is remarkably reduced.
As a chiropractor and AO specialist Dr.Tod Cahill uses many adjusting tools during atlas orthogonal chiropractic treatments: