I’m back! I apologize for the month off, but we are officially moved to Cincinnati, Ohio! Wahoo! It’s always a lot moving, but it was fairly seamless and we are getting settled in nicely. Even better- I have my treating situation figured out! I am working part time at TriHealth hospital for inpatient rehab as well as part time at Anchor Wellness Center where I will be focusing on the TMD population! YAY! I’m getting started there next week, so if you’re interested in treatment- please let me know! Here’s Anchor’s website for you to check out: Anchor Wellness Cincy.
Now for your TMJ & Wellness education:
TMJ TID-BIT
What’s up with the headaches?
Headaches are highly associated with jaw pain, and vice versa, but there’s a lot of confusion when it comes to defining headaches. What kind do I have? What’s the source? The truth is, there are many sources when it comes to headaches, some more systemic in nature: dehydration, sleep deprivation, hormonal- and others more mechanical, meaning coming from structures in the head/neck such as muscles and the cervical spine.
There are specific types of headaches such as cluster headaches and migraines that have certain characteristics and are more predictable. Headache management varies for everyone, but many in this category find relief with knowing and managing their triggers, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and medication management as needed.
We come across the full spectrum of headaches in PT, most of which significantly benefit from treatment. Most commonly we treat tension headaches or headaches brought on by muscle stress as well as cervicogenic headaches that have origin in the neck. These types of headaches significantly benefit from the muscles/bones/tissues involved in the head/neck/jaw being skillfully manipulated with manual intervention as well as retraining exercises to prevent reoccurrence. Because muscles of the head, neck, and jaw are so closely related, symptoms often overlap in this region resulting in a complex presentation of symptoms.
The good news is- focused, skilled intervention in this region can bring down all of those symptoms together! It requires a thorough evaluation to determine the source of your headaches. Outside of brain tumor or vascular origins, it is usually worth your while to see if physical therapy treatment will alleviate your headache symptoms- or you may be a missing a piece of the puzzle when it comes to full resolution and healing.
Wellness Wisdom
Posture & ergonomics for better health
In conjunction with headache management, I thought it would be a good idea to discuss one of the factors that often perpetuates head/jaw symptoms and that is: daily postural habits.
You may know that good posture and a healthy ergonomic set up are important but why and what does that really mean?
They matter because these daily holding patterns may be influencing the state of the muscles that are dysfunctional, contributing to the referred pain you perceive as a headache. For example, different positions that you may be holding your body in for extended periods of time during the day could be: lengthening and weakening of muscles, shortening and tightening of muscles, stretching ligaments, adding pressure to joints, creating myofascial trigger points in muscles, and overall putting tension in places that naturally shouldn’t resulting in compensations and over-time pain + dysfunction.
Sitting, standing, and sleeping posture can all be evaluated by your physical therapist who will provide education and advice on what adjustments to make. In general, we are trying to minimize stress on the body and promote structural support + stability. These changes often require addressing tissues manually first and then retraining with exercises to make lasting changes. The first step is awareness and you’re already doing that by reading this newsletter! :)
Thank you!
For more information and to stay connected to the #DrSamanthaTMJ community follow me on instagram at: @DrSamanthaTMJ
eBook: Top 5 Exercises for Jaw Pain Management
Website: drsamanthatmj.com; anchorcincy.com
Email: samantha@drsamanthatmj.com
Wishing you all the best & a very happy Spring!
Dr. Samantha Dove, PT, DPT, MTC