TMJ Treatment NYC
Jaw pain, Temporo-Mandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ) is a fairly common condition. It is also a condition that is very much misunderstood by the dental and medical professions. Although jaw pain or clicking associated with TMJ is felt in the jaw joint, the problem often originates from an adjacent area in the body.
TMJ Treatment NYC
Dr. Kaminsky specializes in treating TMJ sufferers in New York through gentle and safe Craniosacral Therapy techniques, Pranic Healing and Chiropractic care. He has found that by releasing restrictions in the head, neck, spine and body especially through Craniosacral Therapy, patients have experienced complete eradication in all TMJ symptoms, including complete reversal of clicking, pain and complete reversal of TMJ dysfunction.
Tight Muscles Cause TMJ
Muscle tightness in the head, neck / spine can alter the structure of the Temporal – Mandibular joint directly and indirectly. This is because the muscular attachments into the head, neck and jaw pull the TM joint out of its balanced aligned position, and as a result function is altered. Structure and function are two sides of the same coin. When one is altered the other follows.
When certain groups of head and neck muscles such as the sternocleidomastoid, masseter, temporalis, scalenes, platysma, suboccipitals, trapezius, etc. are tight, in spasm or are splinting they can distort the temporomandibular joint causing pain and clicking.
All muscles in the body attach to bone via their tendons, so if the muscle attaching to both head and neck becomes tight or is in spasm, it can displace the plates of bone in the head and cervical vertebrae / neck, most commonly C1 and C2, causing pain and clicking in the jaw.
Head and Neck Alignment is Altered in TMJ
Cranial misalignment is a displacement of one or more cranial bones which directly effect the structure and hence function of the TMJ. The head and face are comprised of many individual bones that align at the sutures giving each of us our uniquely shaped head and face. Some of the key bones potentially involved in TMJ are; frontal, occipital, parietal, temporal, sphenoid, C1, C2 and others.
Why We Have TMJ Pain and Clicking
TMJ dysfunction is a result of these bones becoming displaced, misaligned and out-of-sync in relation to each other and the TM joint as a result of past accidents, trauma, falls, whiplash injuries, unprocessed, unresolved stuck emotions, etc. The displaced / misaligned Temporal – Mandibular joint is the effect of altered, compromised structure.
The reason the body forms patterns of muscle tightness effecting the jaw is based on Neuroscience with legitimate models of explanation. Based on that, Dr. Kaminsky follows several systems and treatment principles from Chiropractic, Craniosacral Therapy and Pranic Healing. Developed by Dr.’s B.J. Palmer, John Upledger and Grand Master Choa Kok Sui, respectively.
Improving TMJ Function
A positive outcome is achieved with consistent, correct hands-on application of Craniosacral Therapy and the various Chiropractic and proprietary manual therapy techniques developed by Dr. Kaminsky. Unlike the popular belief, and as laid out in above text, for most people with TMJ pain and clicking it is not a problem originating in the Temporal Mandibular Joint itself. TMJ is the effect, a result, a symptom created by a disbalance in your body’s musculoskeletal system.
Common symptoms of TMJ:
- Pain, ache, clicking of the jaw
- Tension headaches
- Migraine headaches
- Stress headache
- Difficulty chewing or locking of the joints
- Tenderness and reduced jaw motion
- Night-time teeth grinding
- Jaw clenching
- Ear Pain
Benefits of visiting a TMJ Specialist
- Relaxation and alleviation of tension associated with TMJ
- Relief in pressure on the nerves around the neck and jaw
- Reduced pain, elimination of pain
- Displacement / misalignment correction for long term relief
- A TMJ natural treatment option that is safe and effective
- Reduction / complete elimination of spinal subluxations
- Improvement in facial asymmetry
Collaboration with a Dental TMJ Specialist
Collaborating with a Dental TMJ Specialists for the benefit of the patient towards the improvement, reversal, and cessation of pain and or clicking is often enhanced. When a dentist refers patients with installed appliances designed to change the structure and the relationship between upper and lower jaw great things can happen with the synergistic collaboration of a Craniosacral Therapist, Cranial Osteopath or SOT Chiropractor.
The dental hardware of the correct kind and installed properly can positively effect the spinal alignment of the neck and the rest of the spinal vertebral column. Specifically the first and second vertebral articulations (C1, C2). A proper installation of a mouth appliance positively effects the alignment of the jaw and spine resulting in a natural decrease in muscle tightness or spasm in the head and neck, which in turn can diminish any associated neck pain and jaw pain or clicking.
TMJ Dentist and Dr. Kaminsky
Working jointly with a TMJ dentist adds synergy to the care of the patient and offers opportunities for a positive outcome. Many TMJ appliances do a great job in its intended application. And with a pair of skilled chiropractic hands of Craniosacral Therapy contributing to the intended effect of the treatment, chances of a positive outcome is significantly that much better.
Dr. Kaminsky enjoys working with dentists, and one thing that is evident is that a collaboration between a TMJ dental specialist and an experienced practitioner of craniosacral therapy, can offer tremendous benefit to sufferers of TMJ.
What Causes Temporo-Mandibular Joint Dysfunction?
In eight out of ten sufferers, the tmj causes are due to muscle imbalance in the body other than the jaw. Picture a puppet with multiple strings. The puppet is controlled from the top to the bottom, but if something happened to one of the strings, if the string bunched-up midway or on the bottom, the top is effected.
Same thing with muscles of the TMJ. When muscles in the neck or spine become tight the top of the body, the TMJ is adversely effected.
Scoliosis and TMJ
To get a better understanding I encourage you to read the section on scoliosis. If you understand what causes scoliosis, you can understand what causes TMJ, the same principles apply. The difference is that the muscles involved originate and insert at the lower levels of the vertebral column, and the cranium misaligns in a more uniform way versus individual bones. Uneven pressure on the Temporal Mandibular Joint is the result.
Another words, the muscular inhibition does not cause enough of a lever pull from the muscles at the bottom of the vertebrae to cause scoliosis but significant enough to cause enough of a muscular distortion and force up the spine, into the head to effect the cranium. This places uneven forces on the TMJ causing the clicking and or pain inside the joint.
If you are suffering from chronic tmj pain or are looking for a tmj specialist in New York, schedule an appointment with Dr. Kaminsky today!
Alex was born in March 1972. At the age of 7 he started to experience frequent headaches with all the conventional symptoms of a Migraine headache. His particular headache resulted in him experiencing auras, nausea and sensitivity to light with no particular trigger to the onset of the migraine.
After years of treatments, therapies and medications, his headaches were no better and Alex continued to experience them all throughout childhood and into young adulthood. Some years the headaches would come monthly, some years every two to three months and some years weekly. His headaches were incurable, there was nothing that could alleviate the symptoms and head pain. Until he experienced cranial manual therapy, which resulted in the complete eradication of his life-long Migraine Headaches.
At the age of 16 Alex noticed a mild deformity in the right side of his ribs, a slightly lower right shoulder and the experience of constant lower back pain. Although mild, a diagnosis of Idiopathic Adolescent Scoliosis had been labeled.
At the age of 18 he was involved in a serious car accident that exacerbated his lower back pain. Throughout the years Alex had tried a multitude of conventional treatments but continued to suffer on and off with lower back pain, even throughout Chiropractic school and beyond.
In 2015 and fifteen+ years out of Chiropractic school, Dr. Kaminsky participated in his first and life changing Craniosacral Therapy seminar and he was fascinated, intrigued and hooked. It all made sense, he was immediately astute to its methods and since that first seminar, and as a result of trading sessions of Craniosacral Therapy with his colleagues, his back pain subsided and till this day has never returned.
Dr. Kaminsky decided to enhance his skill-set to better serve his patients. He began reaching out to other craniosacral therapists, cranial osteopaths, and many types of leading practitioners from various fields for advise and consultations He also enrolled in Upledger continuing education seminars with a focus on mostly hands-on manual and alternative therapies.
And, as he gained knowledge with his own health issues, he has learned to help more and more patients achieve great health results.
Dr. Alex Kaminsky is headache free and low back pain free, and has committed himself to a life of learning, teaching and treating patients. His emphasis is on the patient’s stored patterns of the body and each individual healthcare needs.