Acupuncture: A Natural Approach to Jaw Pain Relief

Acupuncture has been shown to reduce jaw pain, especially in cases of temporomandibular disorders (TMD), where muscle tension and inflammation are the primary drivers. Traditional Acupuncture may reduce or clear pain, improve jaw mobility, and address related symptoms like headaches and neck tension.

Living with Jaw Pain

Living with jaw pain, clicking, headaches, or tightness in your temples and neck can be frustrating and exhausting. These symptoms are often linked to TMJ (the temporomandibular joint) or TMD (temporomandibular disorders). While the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, here’s the difference:

• TMJ refers to the jaw joint itself.
• TMD is the umbrella term for disorders affecting this joint and the surrounding muscles.

TMD is surprisingly common and can lead to jaw dysfunction, facial pain, and frequent headaches. Traditonal Acupuncture can help address the pain and related issues.

Why have Acupuncture for TMD?

Pain modulation: Acupuncture stimulates nerve pathways, altering pain signals and prompting the release of natural pain-relieving chemicals such as endorphins and serotonin.

Muscle relaxation: Calming overactive muscles and reduces clenching and enderness, which are common sources of jaw pain.

Inflammation reduction: Stimulation of Qi can support anti-inflammatory responses, easing swelling in the jaw joint and surrounding tissues. Supporting natural anti-inflammatory responses, helping the body heal.

Stress relief: Since stress often worsens or can be the cause of jaw pain.

Clenching and grinding: Acupuncture’s calming effect on the nervous system can reduce jaw strain.

For jaw-related issues, this often means:

• Less pain and tension.
• Easing of clenching and reduced grinding.
• Fewer headaches.
• Improved jaw movement for chewing and speaking.
• Reduction of stress and anxiety, which can be from cause and effect

Recent research, including systematic reviews, suggests acupuncture can significantly reduce short-term TMD pain especially for muscle-related (myofascial) TMD.

Benifits of Acupunctue treatment

These benefits are commonly associated with therapies or interventions aimed at reducing jaw muscle tension, such as myofascial release, massage, or treatments for temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Here’s a quick breakdown of what they mean:

• Reduced jaw and facial pain: Often the first noticeable improvement, as relaxing the masseter and temporalis muscles decreases clenching and tenderness.
• Fewer headaches and less temple tension: These muscles are frequent contributors to tension headaches; calming them can reduce both frequency and intensity.
• Improved opening and chewing comfort: When muscle guarding decreases, jaw movement feels smoother and less restricted.
• Improvement with grinding and clenching the jaw: better relaxation when sleeping, reducing stress in the daytime.
• Better sleep quality: Lower nighttime clenching and pain can help reduce stress responses, making sleep more restorative.
• Reduce Stress: Calm the nervous system and improve sleep quqlity as well as reducing your pain.

Is Acupuncture Right for You?

If jaw pain is interfering with your daily life, traditional acupuncture offers a holistic, non-invasive option that works well alongside other therapies. Many people notice improvements in comfort and function after just a few sessions.

Acupuncture Treatment

Acupuncture can help reduce your pain and tension and find a way forward. For Traditional acupuncture treatment and care: contact Hannah Charles LicAc MBAcC at: https://www.southwellacupuncture.co.uk/contact/

Hannah Charles is a founder member of the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC)

The BAcC is an advocate for traditional acupuncture professionals and maintains the highest professional standards to protect the general public. BAcC members are registered on an accredited register, regulated and approved by the Professional Standards Authority for Health & Social Care (PSA). For More information, see the website; https://acupuncture.org.uk/

Reasurch in Acupuncture for TMD

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38710498/

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10519525

TMD relief with Acupuncture