If your jaw aches, clicks, locks or feels tired and tender, you may have a temporomandibular disorder, often called TMD or TMJ. It affects the jaw joint and the muscles that move it, and it can bring jaw pain, headaches, and face and neck tension. The reassuring news is that hands-on treatment helps a great deal, and at MyoFitness our practitioners treat TMD every day.
We assess the jaw, face and neck together and treat the drivers of your jaw pain with manual therapy, dry needling and exercise, tailored to you.
At MyoFitness, Serena understands that TMD-related headaches are myofascial in origin. The masseter, temporalis, and pterygoid muscles develop trigger points that refer pain to distant areas of the head and neck. Releasing these muscular restrictions through specialist treatment eliminates TMD headaches permanently.
What the research says: A systematic review of 20 randomised trials found manual therapy effective for TMD, with moderate to high quality evidence that it reduces jaw pain and disability and improves how wide people can open their mouth, in both the short and long term. Trials also show dry needling of jaw trigger points can reduce pain, and works about as well as hands-on manual therapy for muscular jaw pain.
Jaw pain, clicking or tension? Our practitioners can assess and treat it. Book a TMJ assessment at MyoFitness.
Dental problems, tooth issues and bite changes can contribute to jaw pain. A dental assessment can be a useful first or parallel step when symptoms involve the teeth or bite.
Persistent jaw pain, clicking, stiffness or difficulty with normal jaw movement may benefit from an assessment to understand the possible contributing factors.
If your jaw suddenly locks or you cannot open or close your mouth normally, seek prompt assessment from a dentist or doctor.
A sudden change in your bite, facial numbness or facial weakness should be assessed promptly by an appropriate healthcare professional.
TMJ problems can involve dental, muscular and other factors. We can work alongside your dentist or doctor when coordinated care is appropriate.
If your symptoms appear to require dental or medical input, we will let you know and help guide you towards the appropriate next step rather than treating beyond our scope.
Our clinics in North Melbourne, Yarraville and Surrey Hills serve the surrounding suburbs, including:
MyoFitness also operates clinics in North Melbourne at 154 Peel Street and Surrey Hills at 296A Canterbury Road. All three clinics offer Watson Headache® Approach assessment and treatment for migraine.
Three well-established clinics across North Melbourne, Yarraville, and Surrey Hills, each delivering the same standard of clinical care.
A clinical team spanning remedial massage, myotherapy, physiotherapy, lymphatic drainage, and psychology under one roof.
Recognised for clinical outcomes, patient experience, and professional standards across the allied health industry.
Every session begins with a clinical assessment. Treatment is directed at the actual cause of your pain, not just the location where you feel it.
