What can I expect on my first visit?
The first appointment consists of a 60 minutes TMJ assessment and an initial treatment. We will go through your medical history to understand your overall health and why you have come for treatment. Questions might be quite detailed, to ensure that the prognosis is accurate and the proposed treatment is appropriate.
Following-up on the health questionnaire, the physiotherapist will perform a physical examination of the area causing you pain or discomfort. It will likely include assessing other areas of your body apart from the one that hurts, as physiotherapist seek to understand the cause of your symptoms and consider the interrelationship between all of your body systems.
The initial treatment generally consists in hands-on manual therapy, such as massage or moving your joints. Treatment may also come in the form of exercise prescription, verbal or written advice, or further referral if necessary.
Follow-up appintments generally involve a catch up about how your symptoms have changed, with most of the session focused on active treatment. However, if you have any new symptoms, these may need to be further assessed.
Should I bring anything to my appointment?
Any additional information that you are able to provide and which could help your physiotherapist understand your current state of health is helpful for you to bring. If you are on medication, you may bring a list of your current prescriptions. If you have had any investigations, such as blood tests, X-ray, or MRI scan, please bring a copy of the report with you.
Is TMJ treatment painful?
Treatment is generally quite gentle and relieving. Your physiotherapist will keep in constant communication with you about the treatment which is being performed and will ask you for feedback about what you are feeling. If at any point you are uncomfortable or feel pain, you can ask your physiotherapist to ease off or stop the technique being used.
How will I feel after my treatment?
Patients often report feeling ‘looser’ or ‘easier’ after treatment. Some patients feel relaxed, others feel energized.
Some patients feel a little sore or ‘worked on’ in the area where they’ve had treatment. This usually lasts no longer than 24 to 48 hours.
If you have any concerns about how you’re feeling post-treatment, feel free to contact your physiotherapist who can advise on self-care or further steps.
How many treatment will I need?
3 to 4 appointments may be enough for your symptoms to ease. However, if you’ve had issues for a long time, you may require more treatments and if you’ve had the problem for less time, your symptoms may resolve after fewer treatments. For some patients, it is advisable to return once a month, or once a year for a ‘tune-up’, to prevent symptoms from returning. Each case is individual, your physiotherapist should be able to give you an estimate based on your particular circumstances and state of health.
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