Tag Archives: tmjd

All About TMJD

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Looking for information on TMJD and Physical Therapy?

Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJD) is a condition that affects the jaw joint and the muscles responsible for its movement. In addition to surgical treatments, there are several non-surgical treatments available for TMJD.

If you’re experiencing TMJD symptoms, it’s important to talk to a doctor about your treatment options. Conservative treatments, like physical therapy, have a high success rate and are typically recommended first.

Non-Surgical Treatment Options

Pharmacotherapy: Medications can be used to manage pain and other symptoms. Keep in mind, that a specialist or general practitioner may recommend prescription medication. These included but are not limited to: over-the-counter pain relievers like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and acetaminophen can also be used. Of course it is always most desirable to remedy this cause of the issues through physical therapy methods as opposed to pharmaceutical options.

Physical Therapy: A physical therapist can examine you to determine the root cause of your TMJD symptoms. They may also check your neck and shoulders for any issues that could be contributing to the problem. Exercises and other techniques may be prescribed to help manage TMJD symptoms.

Nightguards and Splint Therapy: Custom-made by a dentist or oral surgeon, these devices are to be worn at night to prevent grinding or clenching of teeth, which exacerbates TMJD symptoms.

Injections: Joint injections with hyaluronic acid and muscle injections with Botox can help relieve pain and relax the jaw muscles.

There are many treatment options. More specifically for more severe cases there are also surgical treatments available for TMJD. However, surgery is generally only recommended if other treatments have failed.

Surgical Treatment Options

Arthrocentesis: This involves injecting needles into the jaw joint to remove tissue breakdown products and reduce inflammation.

TMJD Arthroscopy: This is a more invasive procedure that involves placing needles into the joint and using an arthroscope to look inside and perform surgical procedures to remove scar tissue, smooth out bone, or attempt to reposition the disc.

Arthrotomy (Open Joint Procedure): This is a more invasive surgery that is performed under general anesthesia. Surgeons make an incision to remove adhesions, osteophytes, fibrous or bony ankylosis, and/or tumors.

If you’re experiencing TMJD symptoms, talk to a doctor about your treatment options. Physical therapy and other non-surgical treatments can be highly effective in managing TMJD symptoms, and surgical options are available if needed. Physical therapy, in many cases is highly effective in the treatment of many TMJD cases both acute and chronic. Check out our team of highly trained clinicians here at Elite Therapy Solutions. For a Chester County location: Give us a call at 610-696-3305. For a York/Adams County location: Give us a call at 717-840-1874 to set up an initial evaluation. We can see patients within 24-48 hours, and we allot an hour of evaluation time. We pride ourselves in being on the cutting edge of TMJD treatment diagnosing and techniques to get you back to pain-free living!

From Head to Toe!

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Suffer from headaches or migraines?

You are not alone. We’ve seen everything head to toe, and are experts in how to help. Headaches are the third most common pain complaint worldwide.  The cause can be anywhere from sinus problems, vascular complications, or tumors. However, a large majority are caused by muscular and joint issues. Such issues as muscle tension, disc pathology, lack of neck motion, poor posture, tightness in the back.  Desperate for relief?  Just want to feel normal again?  Consider giving physical therapy a try!

How does physical therapy help headaches?

First off, a licensed physical therapist will assess the patient from head to toe. Then determine the type of headache: tension, migraine, or secondary pain stemming from an underlying condition. This will allow them to pinpoint the root cause of the problem. Second, dependent upon the type of pain, the physical therapist can manually address the issue using several techniques: heat or ice, soft tissue mobilization/massage, cervical traction, stretching, strengthening exercises, and/or posture education. This will allow them to alleviate a headache or migraine quickly and effectively. From there, the physical therapist can provide the patient with specific, custom exercises to address any future flare-ups on their own. In some cases, a physical therapist can address and relieve headache and migraine pain as quickly as one visit. Results may vary based on the severity of each individual case.

If you suffer from headaches or migraines, give Elite Therapy Solutions a call! With offices in Coatesville (610-466-7060) and West Chester (610-696-3305), our licensed physical therapists are available to see you within 24-48 hours. We are here to address any aches or pains, from your head to your toes!