Connections to Health - Posture and TMJ

THE ISHTA HOLISTIC HEALTH CENTRE

CONNECTIONS to HEALTH

Posture and TMJ

Do you suffer from headaches, facial pain, back/neck ache, jaw joint pain, clicking jaw, tender sensitive teeth, jaw locking open? Or have you been diagnosed with TMJ dysfunction? Have you considered that your posture may be playing a vital role in the health of your Tempero-Mandibular Joint (TMJ)?
Well we have been aware of the relationship between the structure and posture and the functioning of the TMJ for as long as we have been doing structural work. In fact, if we have people presenting with a TMJ problem then we need to thoroughly check the pelvis and spine for any subluxations and check the posture for forward head posture. Now it seems that dentists are finding the same and Dr Shila Yazdani, a dental specialist in Washington DC has a lot of information on her website explaining in a very accessible way the reasons for this in-balance, she has included some very simple diagrams as well. Please pay her site a visit, www.ymdr.com/TMJ.html
Not unusually Dr. Yazdani is recommending orthodontics to correct the TMJ which may be necessary, but what we would like to see is that you have some work done on your structure to correct the forward head posture and any other in-balances in your structure before you are assessed for any orthodontic treatment and maybe some if not all of the problem could be corrected.
What is Forward Head Posture (FHP)?

Thanks to AZFamily.com for the use of this picture

In the picture shown above, the first sketch (shown top-left) represents "perfect" head posture. A line dropped from the centre of the external auditory meatus (EAM), middle of the ear-hole, would land directly in the centre of the shoulder.

For every inch your head moves "forwards", the head "gains" 10 pounds in weight, as far as the muscles in your upper back and neck are concerned, as they have to work harder to keep the head (chin) from dropping forwards onto your chest. This forces the muscles that raise the chin to remain in constant contraction, putting pressure on the 3 nerves under the base of the skull. This can cause headaches at the base of the skull, and even mimic sinus headaches!

It's not uncommon to observe 2" of anterior head placement in new patients. Would you be surprised that your neck and shoulders hurt if you had a 20 pound watermelon, or a bowling ball hanging around your neck? That's what forward head posture is doing to you! Left uncorrected, FHP will continue to decline. Chiropractic and Spinal Touch, especially a combination of the two can be very effective in reducing and correcting FHP.

Please pay Sue Weller, Allyn Edwards or Alaine Skerrett a visit to check if you have forward head posture or structural in-balances that are affecting your jaw.