Acupuncture for TMJ and Jaw Pain (TMD)

Jaw pain can make eating, talking, yawning and even sleeping uncomfortable, and often comes with headaches and earache. Reviews of clinical trials show acupuncture can reduce pain from temporomandibular disorders (TMD) more than sham treatment, particularly when the jaw muscles are the main problem. Our practitioners have been treating pain in London for 25 years.

Book an initial consultation or call 0207 935 2030 for a free 15-minute chat.

What causes TMD?

Temporomandibular disorder (TMD), often called TMJ, describes problems with the jaw joint and the muscles that move it. Symptoms include pain in the jaw, face or around the ear, clicking or popping, a jaw that locks or won’t open fully, and headaches. Common causes include clenching or grinding your teeth, often linked to stress, as well as injury, arthritis in the joint and a misaligned bite.

See your GP or dentist if your jaw is locked, you can’t open your mouth, pain follows an injury, or you have swelling, fever or numbness in your face. Jaw pain with chest pain or breathlessness needs urgent help. TMD is often linked with headaches and neck pain.

How acupuncture can help

For TMD, acupuncture can reduce jaw pain and help the jaw open more freely, especially when tight, overworked jaw muscles are behind the problem. It works well alongside a night guard, jaw exercises and managing stress and clenching habits.

Because jaw pain is so often linked to stress, tension in the neck and shoulders, and headaches, we look at the whole picture rather than just the jaw. We work alongside your dentist and will tell you honestly if we think you need a dental or specialist opinion.

Researchers think acupuncture works partly by changing how nerves and the brain process pain signals, including the release of the body’s own pain-relieving chemicals. The exact mechanisms are still being studied.

What the research shows

• Wu et al., 2017 (Medicine) — nine studies and 231 people. Acupuncture reduced jaw pain more than sham acupuncture and sham laser, with the biggest effect in people whose pain came from the jaw muscles.
• La Touche et al., 2010 (Clinical Journal of Pain) — the better-quality trials in this review found acupuncture reduced pain, and improved chewing and how wide people could open their mouths, more than placebo or sham. The authors called it a reasonable add-on for short-term relief.

Results vary between people, and acupuncture is not a replacement for medical or dental assessment.

What to expect

Your first appointment lasts an hour. We take a full history, check your jaw, neck and shoulders, look at any letters from your dentist or scans you bring, and agree a plan with you. Treatment uses very fine, single-use needles around the jaw, face, neck and hands, left in for 15 to 20 minutes. Where suitable we may add electro-acupuncture or a heat lamp.

Most people start with weekly sessions and we review progress together after four to six. Initial consultations start from £80; see clinics and fees for details.

Why The London Acupuncture Clinic

• 25 years treating patients in London
• Degree-qualified practitioners who work alongside GPs and consultants, with close links to physiotherapists and chiropractors
• Open seven days a week, with early-morning and evening appointments
• Receipts for insurance claims on request

What our patients say

“I came to see Olga with a completely locked jaw … Within the very first session my jaw was improved – after three it was completely back to normal.” — G.C., Google review