A 27-year-old female attended physiotherapy following a referral from her dentist, presenting with jaw pain and clicking, primarily on the right-hand side. She reported that these symptoms had been occurring intermittently since her teenage years. Her dentist had ruled out any issues with her teeth and gums and suspected a possible temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disc dysfunction.
In addition to jaw symptoms, the client also experienced occasional ear discomfort and intermittent neck stiffness. She noted that the pain tended to worsen with prolonged chewing or talking and that she would sometimes apply pressure to the joint with her fingers in an attempt to relieve discomfort.
During assessment, her jaw was observed to deviate to the left during opening before clicking back into the midline. The clicking itself was not painful, but it indicated altered joint mechanics.
Treatment focused on reducing muscle tension and improving jaw function. Soft tissue massage and trigger point release techniques were applied to the muscles involved in jaw movement. Dry needling was also used to further reduce muscle tightness. The client was prescribed simple jaw tracking exercises to help restore normal movement patterns. In addition, manual therapy techniques were used to address stiffness in the cervical spine.
Over the course of three months, the client made a full recovery, with resolution of both pain and dysfunction.