TMJ Disorder

While mouthguards protect the joints during bruxism, they do not resolve muscle tension or inflammation itself. Acupuncture directly stimulates myofascial trigger points in the masticatory muscles to relieve muscle tension and increases blood flow around the joint to aid in the removal of inflammatory metabolites. Several clinical trials, including studies by the U.S. NIH, have reported that acupuncture is effective in alleviating temporomandibular joint pain and improving maximum mouth opening. Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective 3____T4 Inserting needles into acupoints passing around the temporomandibular joint resolves stagnation of Qi and blood within the meridians, restoring the supply of nutrients and oxygen to the surrounding tissues. In chronic cases, treatment using a needle called a "dochi" (straight needle) to separate adhesive tissues around the joint and strengthen ligaments is more effective than simple acupuncture. At Dongjedang, we combine acupuncture, needle acupuncture, and pharmacopuncture according to the appropriate stage to address the root causes—myofascial tension and intra-articular adhesions—that are not resolved by mouthguards.