TMJ / JAW PAIN

TMJ
JAW PAIN EXPLAINED

Did you know?

  • Your jaw is a hinge joint – the TMJ, or temporomandibular joint.
  • A stiff neck, a blow to the face, teeth grinding or poor posture can all lead to jaw pain.
  • If your jaw clicks when you open and close your mouth, you could have a TMJ disorder.
  • You can experience ongoing jaw pain after major dental work.
  • Lock jaw is caused by a problem with your TMJ.
 

TMJ problems can lead to jaw stiffness and/or ear symptoms similar to tinnitus. More often than not, they also result in severe and debilitating pain.

To make matters worse, jaw pain can radiate up into your neck, face and head.

Progressive Sports and Spinal Physiotherapy specialises in treating all kinds of TMJ disorders. Our team is highly experienced in getting to the cause of jaw pain and bringing relief.

IS PHYSIOTHERAPY THE ANSWER FOR 
JAW PAIN?

If you injured your knee or back, you wouldn’t think twice about making an appointment with your physiotherapist. But jaw pain?

Yes. If you are suffering from pain associated with your TMJ, an experienced physiotherapist is often the best place to start.

Your TMJ – like all the other joints in your body – is made up of joint surfaces, cartilage discs and supported by muscles and tendons. And of course, when it comes to joints, treatment by a physiotherapist can help:

  • Ease pain
  • Relieve stiffness, and
  • Improve function and mobility.
 

When you come to our clinic, your physiotherapist will get to know your history, take you through a thorough assessment process and answer any of your questions.

Once we have an accurate picture of your condition we:

  • Talk to you about the best treatment options
  • Create a personalised program
  • Suggest exercises for you to do at home, and
  • Give you strategies to manage your condition and your pain.
 

Our approach for TMJ problems and jaw pain includes:

  • Gentle hands-on physiotherapy to improve your range of motion
  • Exercises that help you align your jaw correctly
  • Techniques to strengthen the muscles around your jaw, and
  • Education around poor posture and the need to stretch and move regularly.

GET HELP NOW

Jaw pain can be extremely debilitating. If you or a family member is experiencing severe or regular headaches, don’t wait – get help from an experienced physiotherapist. You can be confident our qualified and highly skilled physiotherapists will do all they can to get to the source of your pain and bring relief.

Call Progressive Sports and Spinal Physiotherapy today on 4721 7798 or email: info@progressiverehab.com.au

Elin, is an alumni of St. Edward’s University and holder of a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology, furthered her academic journey by attaining a Doctor of Physiotherapy from Macquarie University in 2022.

Her passion for sports, particularly football (soccer), is evident in both her academic pursuits and personal endeavors. Specialising in the comprehensive well-being of athletes, Elin focuses on restoring them to peak performance while actively preventing future injuries.

Elin’s professional expertise is centered on musculoskeletal rehabilitation, with a specific emphasis on addressing and preventing knee injuries. Her approach integrates expert treatment with a commitment to educating and empowering patients, fostering their active involvement in enhancing their health and overall quality of life.

As an active participant in NPL football with SD Raiders, Elin brings firsthand experience and a profound understanding of the sport’s demands. Beyond the field, she extends her influence by contributing sports coverage over the weekends.

Christopher (Chris) Han graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor’s Degree in Occupational Therapy, and then completed the Doctor of Physiotherapy program at Macquarie University in 2018. Chris is currently undertaking his PhD at the University of Sydney and Institute for Musculoskeletal Health in the field of low back pain and is due to complete this in early 2024. 

Chris is currently an assistant Physiotherapist for the NRL Referees. Chris has previous experience as the head Physiotherapist at Panthers Premier League Netball and a number of elite sporting athletes in the private setting.

Through Chris’ experiences, he has a particular interest in all areas of the body and musculoskeletal physiotherapy, sports, vestibular rehabilitation, and Men’s Health (pre and post prostate surgery).

Suzanne graduated from Western Sydney University with a Bachelor of Health Science (Sports and Exercise Science) in 2015. She then went on to continue her studies at Macquarie University graduating from the Doctor of Physiotherapy post-graduate degree in June 2019.

Since graduating, Suzanne has worked in the local Penrith area in both private practice and Sports Physiotherapy. Suzanne has worked with sporting teams including Penrith District Netball Association, Mt Druitt Rangers (NPL), Penrith Valley Figure Skating Club, and local dance and cheer schools. 

Suzanne has a particular interest in working with artistic athletes including cheerleaders and dancers. She has a professional background in both cheer and dance and has previously worked as both a cheer coach and dance teacher. Suzanne’s previous experiences are an invaluable resource to her as a physiotherapist, as she has a thorough understanding of the level of physical fitness and skill acquisition that these athletes must have in order to be successful on stage and in competition.

Suzanne’s other areas of clinical interest reside in lower limb musculoskeletal injuries, spinal pathologies and women’s health.

Nathanial graduated as a physiotherapist in 2012 which saw him work in private practice and hospital settings gaining experience in all areas of physiotherapy including hand therapy, splinting/casting, pre/post-operative care, Men’s Health and general musculoskeletal, occupational and sports physiotherapy. Since then he has gone on to complete further studies in physiotherapy enabling him to be the only dual titled Musculoskeletal, Sports and Exercise Physiotherapist in Penrith.

Nathanial has a strong background in sports physiotherapy achieving accreditation with NSWIS as a service provider and working with many elite sports teams.

Nathanial has a particular interest in working with elite athletes, complex cases and in particular assessment and management of knee, hip and shoulder pain.

Andrea graduated from the Australian Catholic University completing her Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science in 2018 and Master’s of Clinical Exercise Physiology in 2020. After graduating she attained accreditation with ESSA as an Exercise Physiologist.

During her studies she gained clinical experience in both hospital and private practice settings, in cardiac rehabilitation, neurological conditions, cancer and chronic musculoskeletal injuries.

Since working at Progressive, Andrea has a specialist interest in treating musculoskeletal injuries, helping people in the mid-late stage of rehab to get them to return to sport or work. As well as helping people manage chronic conditions such as arthritis, osteoporosis and diabetes.