Craniomandibular dysfunction (CMD) affects an estimated 10–15% of the population and is frequently misdiagnosed. Symptoms can range from jaw pain to headaches, dizziness and tinnitus. As a specialist therapist in TMJ dysfunction, Fabienne Dormann explains the connections.
Which symptoms indicate CMD?
CMD can manifest very differently: pain or stiffness in the jaw when chewing or yawning, clicking or grinding in the joint, headaches (especially temporal), ear pain or tinnitus without ear disease, dizziness and neck pain. This is what makes diagnosis so difficult: CMD mimics other conditions. An experienced therapist, however, recognises the typical patterns.
- Clicking / popping when opening
- Morning headaches
- Pain when chewing
- Neck tension
- Restricted mouth opening
Several signs together? An assessment is warranted.
How is CMD treated at Praxis Loten?
Treatment is multimodal: manual techniques on the jaw joint (intra- and extra-oral approach), soft tissue techniques of the chewing muscles (masseter, temporalis, pterygoid muscles), cervical spine postural correction, relaxation exercises and patient-specific home exercises. Collaboration with the dentist (for splints) is often part of the overall concept.