The Effectiveness Of Acupuncture For Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorder

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a medical term that pertains to the paired joints that connect the upper and lower jaws. As one of the most complex joints in the body, TMJ can be a source of various disorders, which leads for the term TMJ to be used as a reference to the pain and dysfunction of these joints. More often than not, an effective treatment for TMJ is hard to achieve because the condition is not limited to a single bodily aspect but could also be related to dental issues, mental stress as well as neuromascular disorders.



Even though there are different treatments available for TMJ, most of them could only provide short-term relief from the symptoms of the disorder. They rarely target the root cause of the problem, which is why TMJ can still be present despite consistent treatments. Good thing, for individuals inflicted with TMJ, acupuncture is now available and is perceived as one of the most effective forms of alternative medicine treatments that could greatly reduce the pain and discomforts induced by temporomandibular joint disorder. As an evidence to its effectiveness, a 2007 study have shown that acupuncture for TMJ profoundly reduced the muscle pains created by TMJ among its sufferers who were receiving acupuncture therapy.



Acupuncture for TMJ can be combined with a variety of TMJ treatment approaches even with medications such as analgesics, anti-inflamatories, muscle relaxants, and corticosteroids. This is due to the fact that acupuncture does not alter the functions and effectiveness of these contemporary treatments. In fact, acupuncture in itself can be used as a replacement for the aforesaid approaches without the risks of side effects.



Acupuncture is proven to be effective in reducing the pain induced by TMJ. This is because acupuncture is directed towards the main cause of the pain by balancing the mind and body by targeting a network of energy channels referred to as meridians, resetting the neuromascular tension in the jaw. It should be taken into account that the underlying stress and contractions affecting the jaws and face are what primarily cause TMJ pain. Therefore, acupuncture is applied to relax the muscles surrounding the jaws, which also lowers the stress experienced by the body, alleviating TMJ-related pain and discomforts.



Normally, an individual suffering from chronic TMJ is recommended to undergo six or more acupuncture treatments, though a mild condition can be treated in four treatments. Despite the relief that acupuncture for TMJ could induce, long-term treatment might still be necessary in order to "reeducate" the muscles around the temporomandibular joint in order to prevent complications from occurring. Complete long-term care for TMJ also requires lifestyle changes, dietary changes, stress reduction, jaw stretching exercises, relaxation techniques and modification in chewing habits.



When considering acupuncture as a part of your TMJ treatment, do not think of doing the acupuncture yourself. Instead, have an appointment with a trusted acupuncturist so that the disharmonies in your body as well as the sources of your TMJ would be appropriately attended to. Remember that acupuncture involves needles that may be inserted in the area of pain around your ear, jaw, elbows, knees and big toes, so it is not advised that you do this process yourself as doing things wrongly could disrupt the flow of Qi in your body, which could exacerbate your condition. Nonetheless, a trusted acupuncturist could also point you to the right direction in doing your lifestyle changes which in turn would help you in totally eliminating the discomforts induced by your TMJ.