At Meadowside Osteopathy in Farnham, we help patients with TMJ pain, jaw pain, jaw clicking, teeth grinding, and other jaw-related conditions. Our osteopaths use gentle, effective techniques to reduce pain, restore movement, and address the root cause of your symptoms.
The TMJ (temporomandibular joint) is the hinge joint connecting your jaw bone to your skull, allowing you to open and close your mouth to speak, chew, or yawn. TMJ dysfunction occurs when the joint or surrounding muscles are not working correctly – usually either not coordinated, not strong enough or over-used – which can lead to pain, stiffness, clicking and abnormal movement patterns.
Jaw dysfunction may be connected to teeth grinding or jaw clenching, through habit or stress. It may also be related to dental work, either recent or in the past, which has left your jaw muscles and joints uneven / asymmetrical and / or under strain, leading to problems in the mechanisms of eating, yawning or even talking.
Sometimes, jaw problems are linked to unresolved tongue tie in either children or adults, as the limited movement of the tongue inside the mouth requires additional effort from the jaw to function properly in eating and swallowing.Â
Often, jaw issues are closely linked to neck pain, neck stiffness and headaches. This is because the jaw, neck and head are closely connected by many structures anatomically and neurologically.
We regularly help patients with:
These are some of the most common techniques and exercises we prescribe for TMJ problems and jaw:
Repeat each of these two exercise 5 times, 1-3 times a day.
If you experience any pain, try to reduce the pressure or the range of movement (ie open the mouth less).
If you have any questions we havenât answered here, or if you would like to discuss your case with one of our osteopaths, you can book a FREE 15-minute call with an osteopath HERE, or give us a call on 01252 449 435 â we would love to help.
TMJ pain or dysfunction occurs when the jaw joint or its muscles are not working as they should. This can be linked to teeth grinding or clenching, trauma to the face, strains from dental work, tongue tie, and tension in the neck and shoulders.
TMJ dysfunction may not always show up as pain. Symptoms often include:
Not usually. Our techniques are gentle and adapted to your comfort level, and we check in with you throughout the session. There may be some discomfort while we release tight muscles, but this dissipates quickly as the muscles soften during treatment.
We often recommend strengthening, stretching, and self-massage techniques for you to do at home. Doing those will accelerate your recovery process, and help maintain the results we achieve at the clinic.
This varies by individual. Generally speaking, the longer an issue has been present, the longer it takes to resolve. You should notice an improvement within 1-2 sessions, however most people will need at least 4 sessions to achieve lasting results. It always helps if your treatment plan is supported by regular home exercises!
If your jaw pain does not improve with manual therapy such as osteopathy or physiotherapy, or if you experience severe jaw locking, limited opening, or persistent pain then a referral to a dentist, GP, or maxillofacial specialist may be advised.
Fees may be covered by your private insurance provider.
Aviva, Cigna, Simply Health, Vitality, WPA, BUPAÂ and AXA PPP may cover your sessions with us, but this depends on your individual policy, so be sure to always check with your insurer before contacting us.
We kindly ask you directly pay for your appointment and claim your payment back from your insurance provider. Please get in touch with your provider prior to your appointment, to confirm you are covered and check what documentation is needed to process your claim.
We are happy to provide a detailed invoice to assist with your claim.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or would like any further assistance with claiming Osteopathy on your insurance.
