Maximizing time with your TMJ Provider
In today’s modern healthcare system, with increased patient volume and reduced clinicians, it can be tough to get proper time with your physical therapist or dentist when seeking out care. (However, this is not the case at Glackin Physiotherapy, where we see patients one-on-one for one hour!).
In these particular cases it’s important to know what information will assist your dentist or physical therapist in diagnosing and treating your TMJ pain or jaw pain in the shortest amount of time. Below, we’ve outlined some questions for you to analyze and bring to your dentist or physical therapist’s attention to maximize care.
6 Questions to assist your TMJ provider's diagnosis
Question 1: Previous history
Was any of your TMJ pain or jaw pain the result of a physical trauma or after a surgery? Note that this question applies to history 3 months ago and can date back to birth or childhood incidents. That means chin scars from coffee tables or jungle gyms are relevant!
Question 2: Stress Level
Are you currently under a great deal of stress that may cause you to clench harder than you normally do, whether you’re awake or asleep? Increased clenching leads to increased muscle strain!
Question 3: Bad Jaw Habits
Do you currently have any chew habits that may contribute to your pain? For example, nail or cheek biting, pencil chewing, or teeth clenching? When do you chew, do you tend to chew more on one side than the other? Muscle overuse is a common result of repetitive jaw motions.
Question 4: Symptom Progression
How does your jaw pain or TMJ pain change over 24 hours? What makes it better? What makes it worse?
Question 5: Influence of Foods/Drinks
Do certain foods or drinks increase your pain more than others, specifically cold drinks vs warm drinks? Does alcohol affect your symptoms? These questions may or may not suggest a circulatory component to your symptoms.
Question 6: Structure
Do you currently experience any locking, clicking, or catching of the jaw?
Physical therapy for TMJ dysfunction in Columbia and Baltimore, Maryland
If you have TMJ pain reach out to our office today!
