There are many jaw misalignment symptoms that people might experience. One of the most common jaw misalignment symptoms is pain in the jaw muscles and joints, but it can also cause problems with your teeth such as sensitivity to hot or cold food or drinks, jaw joint clicking, and popping sensations, earaches, headaches, and migraines. This blog post will discuss what jaw misalignment is and how Dr. Caroline Herring of Herring Chiropractic Clinic of Tallassee, AL, can help you treat jaw misalignments if you believe that you have this condition.
Table of Contents
What is a jaw misalignment?
Jaw misalignment is an issue where the jaw muscles and joints are out of alignment. This can be caused by teeth grinding, which over time will cause jaw pain and problems with how your jaw functions. The jawbones may not fit together properly because one or more of them have shifted due to years of wearing braces, injuries that damaged or altered jawbones, or from birth.
Jaw Misalignment Symptoms & Conditions
One of the most common jaw misalignment symptoms is jaw joint discomfort that can be mild to severe in nature. Other jaw misalignment symptoms include:
- Headaches
- Teeth sensitivity to hot or cold food or drinks
- Jaw popping and clicking sounds
- Earaches
- Neck pain and stiffness
If jaw misalignment is left untreated it can lead to permanent damage, especially with jaw joint discomfort. Here are some of the conditions where there could be a connection:
Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ) – This condition involves jaw joint sounds such as clicking or popping, jaw locking up in the position after opening your mouth wide, earaches on one side of the head or both sides; headaches/migraines; changes in how you speak due to pressure from clenching teeth at night; jaw pain during chewing and biting foods that may become more noticeable over time if not treated properly. The temporomandibular joints have two bones within the skull called the jawbone.
Earaches – are caused by problems with your upper neck vertebrae which may cause painful tension between them due to how they are out of alignment. If you believe that you have any of these conditions it would be best for you to see a chiropractor who specializes in treating people with jaw misalignments before trying other options such as medication because oftentimes there are several different conditions that jaw misalignment can cause.
There are several different types of treatments which include but aren’t limited to:
- Medications
- Physical therapy
- Jaw exercises
- Cold/hot therapy
Treatment of Jaw misalignment Chiropractor is administered by using a special instrument called an activator, which delivers very short and precise pressure to the area of jaw joints that are out of alignment. The chiropractor does this several times within one or two visits depending on your condition and how severe it may be. This type of jaw misalignment treatment has been known to relieve pain and restore full function back into the jaw muscles and joints in as little as two weeks’ time with no reported side effects or complications whatsoever! There are several different jaw misalignment treatment options, however, jaw misalignment chiropractic treatments have been known to restore full function back into the jaw muscles and joints quickly with no reported side effects or complications.
What can a misalignment do to my teeth and jaw muscles?
If jaw misalignment isn’t treated it could lead to permanent jaw damage or cause pain that doesn’t go away no matter what treatment you use.
People suffering from jaw misalignments should seek professional help as soon as possible which might include cold/hot therapy, physical therapy, and jaw exercises.
How is a misalignment diagnosed?
A jaw misalignment specialist in a family doctor can diagnose the condition. Most jaw misalignments are diagnosed by an x-ray and physical exam. The jaw muscles may be tender to touch when they have been put out of place or not treated for a long time however if you suspect that you have jaw misalignments seek professional help from your primary care physician who can refer you to a qualified jaw misalignment chiropractor for diagnosis before trying other options such as medication which might include physical therapy, cold/hot therapy and exercises.
If left untreated jaw pain will continue and could even lead to permanent damage with teeth sensitivity issues and more!
What should I expect?
You can experience relief from pain after one visit but most people require at least two visits before the full function has returned back into the jaw joints and muscles as well as some soreness afterward due to slight inflammation however this goes away quickly! If you suffer from jaw misalignments seek professional help as soon as possible which might include cold/hot therapy, physical therapy, jaw exercises.
How will a misaligned jaw affect my life?
A jaw misalignment could affect your life by causing pain that doesn’t go away no matter what you try. You may also experience headaches, earaches, neck stiffness/pain and the list goes on!
How can I avoid getting a misalignment?
Getting a jaw misalignment is not something you can avoid. You may be at risk for getting a jaw misalignment if you grind your teeth, have been in an accident or fall which has damaged the jaw muscles and joints, suffer from arthritis/other diseases that affect the jaw area as well genetics.
How long does an adjustment take?
A jaw misalignment chiropractor treatment starts with an exam to diagnose the condition. Most jaw misalignments are diagnosed by an x-ray and thorough physical examination of your jaw muscles which may be tender when they have been put out of place or not treated for a long time before coming in. The doctor will then use his/her hands to adjust your jaw within minutes using either cold/hot therapy, physical therapy, or exercises depending on how severe the case is.
Conclusion
So if you’ve been experiencing any of these jaw misalignment symptoms, it might be time to visit a chiropractor. Dr. Caroline Herring of Herring Chiropractic Clinic of Tallassee, AL, is your local expert which can help with this variety of health problems that are caused by the improper alignment of your teeth or jaws. If you have questions about how to align your jaw contact us today at (334) 283-6838 and visit our website www.herringchiropracticclinic.com to set an appointment.
