TMJ Disorder

The muscles of the head and neck and the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) are functionally closely connected. When you adopt a "turtle neck" posture (forward head posture), the cervical muscles become over-tense. The connected suprahyoid, masseter, and temporalis muscles also become tense, placing an overload on the TMJ. This posture is repeated when viewing a smartphone for extended periods below eye level. Adjusting monitor height, stretching every 30 minutes, and correcting pillow height are necessary. Meridians connected to the flow of bile pass along the sides of the head, in front of the ears, under the jaw, and along the neck. If the cervical vertebrae are misaligned due to a turtle neck, the flow of Qi and blood in these meridians becomes blocked, affecting both the TMJ and the neck simultaneously. Furthermore, if cold energy invades the neck area, muscles and tendons contract, causing stiffness that spreads to the jaw. At Dongjedang, we combine acupuncture treatment for the neck with TMJ treatment to restore the overall flow of the meridians, and we break the cycle of recurrence by providing guidance on posture correction.