WHAT IS TMJ AND JAW PAIN?
TMJ stands for Temperomandibular Joint Disorder. If you experience clenching, grinding, popping, clicking of the jaw, pain when you chew, frequent headaches or neck pain, you may have TMJ.
HOW DOES ACUPUNCTURE HELP?

Acupuncture can target the root cause of the condition by balancing the mind and body, and helping to reset the neuromuscular tension in the jaw. Acupuncture not only relaxes the targeted muscles in the jaw, it decreases the overall stress level in the body.
A recent British study of 70 cases of dental patients receiving acupuncture for TMJ indicated that 85% of patients benefited with an average reduction in pain intensity of 75%. A 2008 study reported high long-term patient satisfaction and improvement of symptoms 18 to 20 years following acupuncture.
At AcuCare, we have had a 95% success rate in treating TMJ patients. Within 3-5 sessions, the majority of patients experience significant relief. Dentists throughout the lower mainland send their patients with these complains to AcuCare, knowing that they will be well looked after and that they will get the relief they seek.
WHAT PATIENTS ARE SAYING…..
TMJ AND JAW PAIN FAQ
Does Acupuncture eliminate the structural imbalances of the jaw?
While acupuncture therapy may not eliminate the cause of TMD resulting from structural anomalies, such as degenerative changes and disc displacement, acupuncture can help relieve the pain and discomfort associated with the conditions. It has been documented that acupuncture can help muscle relaxation and reduce muscle spasms, if the spasms are muscular in origin.15 Acupuncture can also help minimize TMJ “clicking” by relaxing the lateral pterygoid muscles, and thereby reducing the anterior displacing force on the meniscus of the TMJ.
Wong LB. Acupuncture in dentistry: a systematic review. Proc Singapore Healthcare. 2012;21(1):432-448.
Is there modern research on how Acupuncture helps TMJ?
Modern research has revealed scientific reasons why acupuncture is a successful therapy. In the 1970s, reports appeared in Western medical literature suggesting that acupuncture reduces pain sensation through direct stimulation of the nerve, which changes the quality of signaling along nerve cells.
In fact, research suggests that acupuncture may suppress the nociceptive trigeminal nucleus caudalis and spinal dorsal horn neurons via modulation of the release of neuropeptides and neurotransmitters.
- Sheng LL, Nishiyama K, Honda T, et.al. Suppressive effects of Neiting acupuncture on toothache: an experimental analysis on Fos expression evoked by tooth pulp stimulation in the trigeminal subnucleus pars caudalis and the periaqueductal gray of rats. Neurosci Res. 2000;38:331-339.
- Zhao CH, Stillman MJ, Rozen TD. Traditional and evidence-based acupuncture in headache management: theory, mechanism, and practice. Headache. 2005;45:716-730