TMJ Facial Pain Responds Well to Acupuncture

Temperomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ) is a condition that we treat a lot in clinic, almost always with remarkable results.

A recent US study, published in the journal, Pain and which can be read about here, corroborated the fact that acupuncture treated Temperomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ) quite well:

The short-term phase of a comparative effectiveness study suggests that a combination of acupuncture and Chinese herbs is a safe and effective treatment for chronic facial pain caused by temporomandibular disorders (TMD). The US-based study allocated 168 participants with TMD to a stepped-care protocol. All patients first received TMD self care education (SC). At weeks two and 10, patients receiving SC whose worst facial pain was above predetermined levels were reallocated to either SC or TCM administered by experienced practitioners. The TCM protocol was designed to optimise individualised care within the confines of a research study, and included acupuncture, moxibustion, Chinese herbs, tuina and lifestyle/nutrition counselling. Participants were allocated a total of 20 acupuncture visits and 20 weeks of herbs within a one-year period, with six to ten sessions during the initial eight-week treatment period.

Acupuncturists have been successfully treating TMJ and other facial pain disorders for thousands of years and at our clinic this is common condition which we treat.