TMJ Pain Chiropractic Treatment in New York City

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.

• 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!

About Dr. Kaminsky & Craniosacral Therapy

Having a Chiropractic background since the year 2000, Dr. Kaminsky offers many methods of treatment with an emphasis on Craniosacral Therapy in NYC.

Craniosacral Therapy (CST) is a method focusing on the link between the cranium (head) and sacrum (the second to last bone at the base of your spine), scientifically proven to work in unison to pump fluid throughout the body, an unknown disruption of which can cause many health issues.  The craniosacral mechanism pumps vital fluid called cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF) through the body and in a sense energetically lubricates the joints, tissues, organs; basically all cells of the body. It is the driving force of all your body’s systems of function; including maintaining the tone of your muscles.

The Central Nervous System (brain and spinal cord) are surrounded with CSF generating energetic rhythmic impulses of fluid delicately pumping throughout your body’s parts “breathing” the movement of life. This measurable rhythm of moving fluid, like the heart rhythm, pulse rhythm, breathing rhythm is the foundational “blueprint” and primary principle of our real-time state of our health. 

Compromises of our rhythmic movements of fluid flow correlates to the impulse restrictions in the system which the body is unable to overcome or self-correct. This is the reason why we have “dis-ease”, symptoms, conditions, basically all ailments.  This is where the skill of an experienced craniosacral therapist becomes valuable.  By placing his or her hands on your body the practitioner can feel, detect, evaluate, and facilitate correction of these restrictive arrhythmic impulses.

The craniosacral therapist helps your rhythm restore and renew in compromised areas allowing for healing to take place of sensory, motor, musculoskeletal, neurological disorders, symptoms, conditions and pain.  To learn more, visit the other pages on this website. Call to schedule your healing treatment with Dr. Kaminsky.