How long does a TMJ dysfunction flare-up last?

TMJ dysfunction is a chronic pain condition that particularly affects young people and women. It’s relatively common — 5% to 12% of people in the U.S. suffer from TMJ dysfunction. 

TMJ flare-ups are usually painful and easily aggravated with every movement of your jaw. Symptoms can include pain in and around the jaw joints, grinding and popping sensations, locking of the jaw, and even headaches. Talking, laughing and chewing can be much more difficult during a TMJ flare-up.

So how long does a TMJ dysfunction flare-up last? The short answer is anywhere from a couple of hours to several days or weeks. To get familiar with your own flare-ups, there’s a bit more you need to know.

Understanding your TMJ dysfunction flare-ups

The temporomandibular joint functions as a sliding hinge that joins your skull with your jawbone. Different factors can potentially cause pain, stiffness, popping and other unpleasant sensations in and around this joint. Understanding what’s contributing to your TMJ dysfunction symptoms can help you manage them. 

The following factors can bring on a TMJ dysfunction flare-up or make it last longer:

• Excessive use of the jaw joints.
• Life stressors.
• Dehydration.
• Grinding or clenching your teeth during the day or at night.
• The jaw joint disc moving out of alignment.
• Excessive force or trauma to the jaw joints.
• Arthritis in the jaw joints.
• Cervical spine dysfunction.

Tracking your TMJ dysfunction symptoms

To get a good understanding of how long your TMJ dysfunction flare-ups may last, keep a journal of your symptoms and what’s going on in your life when they show up. This can tell your physical therapist a lot about what treatments and exercises could work for you and how to tailor them to your specific needs. They might also have some insights on things you can do to decrease the length and intensity of your flare-ups.

Managing your TMJ dysfunction symptoms

There are some things you can try at home to start alleviating your TMJ dysfunction flare-ups now. Don’t forget to track the methods you’re using and how they affect you. These won’t keep TMJ flare-ups away in the long term, so don’t put off booking a physical therapist appointment.

Try these solutions at home for some temporary TMJ dysfunction relief:

• Over-the-counter pain relievers. 
• Ice packs applied to the jaw. 
• Improving your posture.
• Avoiding chewy or crunchy foods.

Physical therapy techniques for TMJ dysfunction relief

Your physical therapist will personalize a treatment plan to address your specific symptoms. Several PT techniques have proven effective for treating TMJ dysfunction, but there isn’t a perfect option that will work in every situation.  

Your physical therapist should be able to shorten your TMJ dysfunction flare-ups with the following treatments:

• Soft tissue mobilization — Soft tissue mobilization breaks up the muscle tissue with massage-like movements, which can help relieve tension and reduce inflammation. It can also improve flexibility, so much so that it’s often used to restore mobility in joints that lost mobility.
• Joint mobilization — In this manual therapy technique, the therapist manually applies pressure to a joint to help improve that joint’s mobility and range of motion. It can help relieve stiffness or pain from TMJ dysfunction and make it easier to move your jaw.
• Myofascial techniques — These techniques target tight spots in the fascia, which is the connective tissue that holds your muscles, nerves, organs and blood vessels in place. The therapist uses their hands to find and manipulate stiff tissue, releasing the tension.
• Therapeutic exercises — Your PT can guide you through therapeutic jaw exercises and show you how to do them on your own. These can be effective for reducing the severity of your symptoms and the length of your TMJ dysfunction flare-ups.
• Dry needling — Dry needling is a physical therapy modality that involves the use of thin needles inserted into the skin to break up stiff sections of muscle fiber called trigger points. It’s an effective way to relieve the muscle tension that comes with TMJ dysfunction and restore mobility to your jaw. 

Manage your TMJ dysfunction with Advent Physical Therapy

Again, your TMJ dysfunction flare-ups may last anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks. Fortunately, there are physical therapy treatments that can make them shorter. Learn what works best for you to manage your TMJ dysfunction flare-ups in the short and the long term. Finally, choose a physical therapist near you so you can get in for appointments quickly when you’re having symptoms. 

Call us or request an appointment today to work with an Advent PT physical therapist in keeping your TMJ dysfunction flare-ups to a minimum.