Neck pain is one of the most common conditions treated by chiropractors and we also see many whiplash-associated conditions. It is important to identify what is actually causing your neck pain.
Most neck pain is caused by bad posture; specifically, forward head posture as it puts pressure on the front and back of the neck, leading to stiff necks and even headaches. Therefore, maintaining a good posture is essential especially if your job requires prolonged sitting. We would advise always sit on both of your sitting bone, hips are always higher than your knee, sit tall and feel as if your spine is being lengthened. Make sure your screen is at eye level. Also, it is vital to move every 15 mins because your best posture is always your next posture.
If you’re wondering, “does seeing a chiropractor help with TMJ? (Temporomandibular joint dysfunction)” then we have some good news for you. Pain or clicking in the jaw, grinding teeth, and decreased jaw movement likely indicate a jaw problem. However other more distant symptoms such as headaches, neck, shoulder and back pain, facial pain, ear pain, dizziness and tinnitus are also commonly associated with jaw problems. Not only does chiropractic treatment for TMJ help ease the pain but you can also do some soft tissue work at home to help loosen up your jaw muscles and reduce pain.
When you visit us with jaw pain we’ll focus on 3 key muscles: the masseter, the temporalis, and the pterygoid. We’ll also pay close attention to the suboccipital muscles, jaw joint itself and the top 2 vertebrae because they greatly impact the jaw joint and we want to make sure everything is aligned properly. To work on the masseter, place two fingers flat against your jaw. Press in with flat fingers and then up to put pressure on your masseter and then open and close your mouth. From there, you can move up to the next part of the masseter and continue to do a total of 3 repetitions to complete 1 set of this exercise. If you’re having jaw pain, we recommend doing 3 sets of this exercise 3 times per day.
Get in touch with us today to book an appointment or to ask for any advice.