Hello, Class!  Today we are going to discuss big sharks!!  Just kidding!  I wouldn't know much about them except that it would probably REALLY hurt to have one take a taste of your arm or your leg!  I also know it really hurts when your own jaw isn't functioning properly.  The physical therapists at Alliance Physical Therapy are trained in evaluating and caring for patients with jaw pain.  There are a number of causes of jaw pain/locking/clicking.  Like other joints, the jaw can fall victim to osteoarthritis.  This can be the result of bruxism (teeth grinding), malocclusion (faulty bite), a displaced disc or the wear and tear of aging.  Sometimes the jaw will dislocate from something as simple as yawning, making it impossible to close your mouth.  The muscles and the ligaments of the jaw can be injured in a traumatic whiplash.  We sometimes hear that the only time the jaw "locks" is when a person is eating.  Educating the patient on bringing the utensil up to the mouth rather than bringing the mouth down to the utensil, sitting up straight as each bite is taken, and looking forward rather than down, is often the simple solution to this problem.  At times, we will ask our patients to visit with their dentist to discuss night (or night and day) splints to relax the muscles of the jaw, as pain can be the result of constant clenching of the jaw.  Other conditions may require specific home exercises and manual techniques delivered by our physical therapists.

The bottom line is this.  You don't have to "just live with it."  There are solutions, so if you are experiencing pain or movement problems of the jaw, the staff of Alliance Physical Therapy stands ready to thoroughly evaluate, determine the cause and provide solutions to your condition.

Yours in health,

Karen