Tag: TMJ

CNN Staying Well: Thrive PT Segment on Manual Therapy

The CNN segment that we filmed at Thrive a few months back is now online. Have a watch as practice owner Tamar Amitay, PT, MS and physical therapist Amy McGorry, PT, DPT, MTC, talk about and demonstrate manual therapy techniques on a patient. Here at Thrive Integrated Physical Therapy, PC, our physical therapists identify the faulty mechanics and movement patterns that contribute to and drive one’s pain. We’ve found that manual therapy coupled with an appropriate therapeutic exercise program really makes a difference. At Thrive we look for the root cause as well as underlying movement dysfunctions to base our interventions. We are dedicated to getting our patients back quickly in the game of life!

Beyond the Nightguard: How Physical Therapy Can Help TMJ Pain

The alarm clock rings waking you from sleep, you remove your nightguard, yawn, and instead of greeting the new day with excitement, you cringe and grab your jaw. Frustrated with the ongoing pain and soreness in your jaw, you wonder, “Why isn’t my nightguard working?” Suffering from Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) or Temporomandibular Joint dysfunction (TMJ) can be frustrating. But what most people don’t realize is that it takes more than a mouth guard to address the underlying source of the dysfunction. That’s where physical therapy can help. The Temporomandibular joint – the joint where your jaw and ear meet – can often be the site of pain and discomfort. Think of walking with one shoe on and one shoe off, eventually your back or hip will start to feel stress and irritated from the poor alignment of your joints. The same thing can happen with your bite when your teeth and jaw are not properly aligned. Typically, a mouth guard or bite guard, recommended by a dentist or orthodontist, is used to adjust the bite and jaw to a position that helps relieve some of the pain and discomfort associated with TMJ dysfunction. While a bite guard may provide some […]

The “Head Game” with Headaches

Headaches can be caused by a number of reasons that should first be ruled out by your physician. Certain headaches however can be brought on by a disorder called temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD) that may also involve your temporomandibular joint (TMJ). These conditions often involve hyperactive muscles near your jaw. Tension in muscles in this region can contribute to headaches. For instance, if you have tight shortened muscles under your chin, this can create a “tug of war” with the muscles that try to raise your jaw up. This tension can cause pain along the scalp and upper forehead region. One study involving headache sufferers showed that nearly 81% of headache patients in the study presented with pain in the masseter muscle and over 47% had temporal muscle pain. (Those are muscles near your cheek and head). Poor posture along with tightness and weakness in the neck and upper back muscles can create a dysfunctional pulley system as well around your jaw, neck and scalp. This can leave you with pain in your head which can, quite literally, be a real pain in the neck.  Take my advice, and sit up tall while reading the rest of this! A  Physical Therapist […]