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TMJ and Chiropractic

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Temperomandibular JointYou may have heard or experienced a condition called TMJ which is a condition of clicking or pain in the Temperomandibular Joint (TMJ) or jaw. It is more correctly termed TMD which stands for Temperomandibualr Disorder (TMD). These occur as a result of problems with the jaw, jaw joint, and surrounding facial muscles that control chewing and moving the jaw.

Causes include:

  • Injury to the jaw, Temperomandibular joint, or muscles of the head and neck (such as from a heavy blow or whiplash)
  • Grinding or clenching the teeth, putting great pressure through the TMJ
  • Stress, which can lead to clenching teeth, and/or tight facial and jaw muscles
  • Arthritis in the TMJ
  • Disrelationship of the complex jaw joint

Common symptoms of TMD include:

  • Decreased ability to open the mouth wide
  • A locked or stuck jaw either in an opened or closed position
  • Clicking, popping or grating sounds in the jaw joint on jaw movement
  • Pain or tenderness in the face, jaw joint, neck, shoulders and/or ear, including headaches and earaches
  • A tired feeling in the face
  • A change in the bite, as the teeth are not aligned

Intra-oral Cranials is a technique that your Chiropractor may use that is extremely effective in improving the movement of the jaw joint and hence reducing the symptoms relating to TMD. This Cranial technique addresses the bones of the skull and jaw to normalise the relationship of the skull with the jaw and the neck, and allow the jaw to move smoothly and freely and with its normal range.

What is Neuro Emotional Technique?

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NET FormulaNeuro Emotional Technique or NET is a simple mind-body stress reduction intervention aimed at improving behavioral and physical problems, such as in chronic injuries, subluxations, pain, worry, anxiety, depression, etc. It was developed by an american Chiropractor, who like all Chiropractors would regularly see patients where chiropractic adjustments aren’t enough to help them with chronic pain, while also understanding that stress changes our physiology and affects our structure, and hence can lead to musculoskeletal problems.

Its common for a memory to elicit a physiological response in us, such as the example where simply thinking of a food we really enjoy can make us salivate. That occurs more strongly when the memory has some stress associated with it. This physiological response is known as ‘conditioning’, and the stronger the emotion, the stronger the conditioning. Over time this conditioned response will lessen and eventually subside, and this is the normal process of ‘extinction’. Although, if at the time of conditioning the body is not in a balanced state then the process of extinction does not take place. This results in an aberrant response to future similar stimulus. A response that once was appropriate is now unnecessary and even excessive.

An example is someone who almost drowned will be fearful of water initially. They will commonly experience some of the same physiological responses they did at the time of the near drowning, such as heart racing, pupils dilating, sweaty palms etc., when they are in water or even think of being in water. For most people this reaction subsides, but for a few they continue to have this response, which is no longer necessary or appropriate. This can become a problem as it impacts negatively on their life. This lack of extinction can also be a problem in relatively minor day-to-day experiences such as public speaking, confrontations, interviews, flying etc. The impact of this may be very obvious in day to day life, such as the two examples given, but commonly it impacts on us in less obvious ways, and results in chronic pains or illnesses.

NET is a treatment that allows your body to go through that natural process of extinction (which it has failed to do) and hence reduce any of those inappropriate physiological reactions. NET differs from counseling, as it doesn’t involve talking it out, it is a tool that removes any blocks to the bodys natural healing ability and as such allows the body to heal itself more effectively. It can be used in the course of a chiropractic treatment to assist the structural correction, or it can be utilised as the sole treatment in a session to work on specific emotional reactions or blockages that the patient wants to address.

 

Stress and your body, part 3.

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stress ballAfter having read Parts 1 and 2, you will now have a much better understanding of how your body can change when it is dealing with stress, and how these changes present themselves as symptoms. Having just gotten through the end of a year, christmas, and possibly sending your children back at school, you may very well have experienced first hand some of these manifestations of stress.

In this article I will explain how treatment can help. It is helpful to address the symptoms to make you feel better and more comfortable, but it is also very important to address the the cause ie the stress itself, and hence reduce your body’s’ reaction to it. Symptomatically we can change the pain and muscle tightness that occurs in the neck and shoulders by correcting any misalignment and jamming up in the vertebrae of the neck and upper back. By treating the spine at these areas we are improving movement of the spine and stimulating the nerves to flow freely and thereby stimulate the muscles to relax and work more freely.

The diaphragm can also be treated by a very gentle release that helps it relax, which then allow the ribs to release. Sometimes the spine at the level of the diaphragm may need an adjustment to help it release, and possibly some work needs to be done on the muscles between the ribs. This results in reduction in tightness and restrictions in movement, and allows improved breathing.

The jaw is another issue. When it tightens it can potentially tighten many areas of the skull, which can become very uncomfortable. The jaw can be released directly by working on the muscles and with gentle pressure to the jaw joints. Often it is necessary to look at the whole skull. With that we test for any jamming of the areas of the skull where the many bones that make up the skull join each other. This treatment is gentle and even relaxing , and has great results in reducing tightness and any headaches associated with it.

These are all ways to reduce any symptoms, but it is also important to address the degree to which your body reacts to stress. As seen in previous articles your body will react to stress, there is no changing that. But you may notice that your body will react in differing degrees with different stresses. Sometimes even to the point where you think it is excessive, or an over-reaction. The degree to which your body reacts is different for every person and is influenced by your past experiences and emotions. If we have had a bad experience in the past we will often be more sensitive to something similar happening, this is due to a learned response, or what can be called body memory.

There are two ways that we can look at these reactions. One is using the technique of Neurolink, the other is a techniques called Neuro Emotional Technique (NET). If you have been coping with stress for a while, it may be difficult for your body to come out of that response once the stress has stopped. Neurolink is a technique that resets your body and Nervous System. Just like a computer that has crashed when it has been overloaded with tasks and needs to be rebooted, our Nervous System is similar and Neurolink can ‘reboot’ your system.

NET is a technique that works on a deeper level to find out why we are reacting strongly to something, and what experiences in your past have led to this strong reaction. It also resolves and releases the memory of these past experiences that is being held in your body. This helps reduce any reaction of fear or anger or sadness, for example, that your body may currently be exhibiting.