Temporomandibular Joint Disorder. (TMJ) | Bruxism.

 

 

Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ)

 

Warning: Mature Content and Sensitive Subject Matter.

Temporomandibular Joint Disorder is an inflammatory condition of the masseter and surrounding muscles.

Associated with the condition is subluxation or a subtle and partial dislocation of the temporomandibular joint and it’s cartilage. Symptoms include aberrant jaw and bite mechanics, clicking, popping and pain (both local and referred.)

Traditional treatment approaches often involve dental splints, mouth pieces, anti-inflammatories, surgery, bottom injections, physical therapy, stress reduction and even dietary modifications. Today, medical marijuana is being utilized.

As a former chiropractor, I treated dozens of Temporomandibular Joint Disorder patients with great, albeit short term success. It wasn’t until I understood the root issue at play did we start to see permanent results.

In German New Medicine, the biological conflict is one of self devaluation relative to the area in question. A self devaluation centers around the concept of being unable – unable to do something, unable to perform, am I good enough, can I do this, can I succeed, not as good, not as capable with something, worthless there, damaged goods there, inferior there, deformed there, ashamed there, tainted there, less than whole, somethings wrong with that specific to that area.

When dealing with the Temporomandibular Joint Disorder it is the muscles of mastication (chewing) and speaking that are mostly affected. Specifically, the individual may not have been able to chew after a dental procedure/they may have been in an accident that left a scar (and shame) on their jaw/they may have experienced at some time tooth loss and felt less than whole, less than adequate/the individual may not have been able to express themselves through speech. The possibilities are endless but the focus is clearly on self devaluation.

Laterality will help us to determine the relationship responsible for the self devaluation.

During the conflict active phase there will be cell loss, tissue weakening along with structural and function loss. With a bit of emotional detective work, as the individual identifies the moment in time that the conflict (with all of its unique shadings and nuances) there is often an instantaneous reduction in pain and tension.

Okay, some grown up talk here. Please, no giggling…one client recently came to see me as she had developed severe TMJ issues “seemingly out of nowhere.” When we dug a bit into her consciousness it was revealed that she had experienced quite an intense self devaluation conflict in her twenties surrounding her inability to perform oral sex on her boyfriend. This turned out to be a major issue and hindrance in their relationship. It was only upon taking a “class” on fellatio (her conflict resolution) that she began to feel more confident.

Within twenty four hours her Temporomandibular Joint Disorder symptoms began. Once the conflict is resolved, the individual enters the healing phase when swelling, inflammation, pain and aberrant biomechanics will express. The biological meaning of the program is also revealed in the healing phase – where the area in question is strengthened. With temporomandibular joint disorder we are witnessing a hanging healing – the individual has resolved the conflict yet keeps experiencing relapses due to tracks. One of the most common tracks with tmj clients is the daily pain and clicking as it reinforces the very self devaluation.

Tracks are reminders of the original emotional trauma which can switch the program back on again. The challenge with any German New Medicine session is to properly address these reminders that can delay a complete clearing. These are subconscious reminders that will reopen the original biological program. At the moment of the conflict-shock, the psyche is wide open and processing billions of bits of information. What we need to understand is that at the time a person may have experienced a shock the psyche will actually record whatever stimuli were in the environment at that moment in time. These stimuli or reminders need to be made conscious otherwise a vicious cycle ensues.

As a side, Temporomandibular Joint Disorder and bruxism (teeth grinding) are often seen together yet represent a slightly different shading or nuance. Bruxism does in fact involve a self devaluation, yet the nature of the conflict is being unable to masticate the “morsel.” A morsel in German New Medicine is a situation, scenario, event, occurrence, relationship etc. Bruxism is an epi-crisis of a bite conflict. If it involves the molars, for example, it specifically deals with something that one has attained, they’ve grabbed it! they’ve got it!… but cannot bring it to fruition. More on Bruxism later.

Temporomandibular Joint Disorder. (TMJ) | Bruxism.

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