Here at Lexington Family Chiropractic, we want you to understand how your body is put together and how it works to help you make important lifestyle and medical decisions armed with accurate, up-to-date information.

Chiropractic and Your TMJ

We've all heard of the TMJ, but what is it? The TMJ, or temporomandibular joint, is the joint between the temporal bone of your skull and your mandible, or lower jaw. This is a joint that we ask a lot out of! Every bite we chew, every swallow we drink, every word we say, every time we yawn or laugh or cough, we use the TMJ. It can generate up to 265 pounds of force and crush bones (but we don't recommend this)!

This joint, like all joints, has cartilage on the areas of the two bones that touch, or articulating surfaces. This cartilage serves to help the joint glide smoothly. There is also a cartilaginous disk that helps to keep the joint aligned.

When alignment goes awry, you can develop TMD, or temporomandibular disorder. The symptoms of TMD include jaw pain or soreness, pain in the face, pain in the ears, headaches, neckaches and difficulty opening and closing the jaw, or the jaw actually locking up.

If you come to see Dr. Gallantine with symptoms of TMD, he will utilize gentle chiropractic adjustment and other conservative treatment modalities to ease the tension of the muscles around the joint and improve alignment, allowing improved function and reduced pain.

To find out more about how to tune up your miraculous body, please contact us or give us a call at 853-264-1140. Dr. Gallantine and the whole crew look forward to hearing from you soon.