TMJ and jaw pain treatment in St. Petersburg, FL
Acupuncture, trigger point release, and neuromuscular therapy for TMJ and TMD, using a protocol Dr. Eisenman developed for his doctoral research.
Jaw pain, jaw popping or clicking, clenching or grinding your teeth, and even headaches or ear pain are common signs of a problem with the jaw joint. Many people know it as TMJ. The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the hinge that connects your jawbone to your skull. When that joint and the muscles around it aren't working the way they should, it's called temporomandibular disorder, or TMD.
A protocol built from doctoral research
Dr. Donald Eisenman developed a specific protocol for treating TMD symptoms, and it was the subject of his doctoral capstone project, the research project required to complete his professional doctorate. He has used it to help many patients find relief from jaw pain and the symptoms that come with it.
For more than 20 years, Dr. Eisenman has focused on chronic pain and soft tissue dysfunction. His approach starts with careful palpation, not a standard routine: finding the actual trigger point or imbalance before treating it.
How treatment works
Jaw pain often isn't only about the joint. Tight or shortened muscles in the jaw, face, and neck can form trigger points that restrict blood flow, limit how far your jaw opens, and keep the pain going. Depending on what's driving your symptoms, treatment may combine acupuncture, myofascial and trigger point release, and neuromuscular therapy.
Clenching and grinding often get worse under stress, so calming the nervous system can be part of the plan too. You can see how the treatment works in the TMJ treatment video.
In a patient's words
"I've been dealing with chronic jaw issues from an injury going back at least two and a half years. I'd never tried acupuncture before, but after just one session, I immediately felt the tension I'd been carrying dissipate."
Chris