TMJ disorder can cause a range of different symptoms, few of which are pleasant. When the moving parts of the jaw joint don’t align and function in perfect harmony, you may wind up with headaches, neck pain, sore facial muscles, pain in your back teeth, and pain in the jaw itself. There are several potential treatments for TMJ disorder, but only one that relaxes overstressed muscles immediately: Knoxville BOTOX® treatments.
Would you like to learn more about Knoxville BOTOX for TMJ treatment? Contact Dr. Haney today to learn about your options. Call 865-693-6886 to make an appointment.
How BOTOX Can Improve TMJ Symptoms
BOTOX cannot cure TMJ disorder, but it can give you relief from your symptoms and train you to use different muscles to control your jaw. In many cases of TMJ-related pain, the symptoms are caused by the overuse of specific facial muscles. These muscles work overtime and this can create too much tension in the jaw. This often results in soreness and radiating pain. Clench your jaw, and you will feel muscles bulging out of the temples and behind the ears. It’s easy to see how jaw movements affect many areas of the head and neck.
Since Dr. Haney has a precise understanding of the facial anatomy, he can determine which muscles would benefit from BOTOX treatment. This does not result in your face becoming paralyzed or unable to move. What it does do is give those overtaxed muscles a break and train your body to use different muscles to control the jaw.
The paralytic effects of BOTOX typically only last a few months, but for many patients, this is long enough to establish new habits that do not cause painful symptoms.
Isn’t BOTOX a Cosmetic Treatment?
Injections of the botulinum toxin are best known for their use in facial esthetics, but they have been used by doctors for medical purposes for almost as long as they’ve been available. Because the injection is given at a precise location, it can be used to paralyze very small muscles. It has been used to treat certain eye disorders, like crossed eyes (strabismus) and uncontrolled blinking; cervical dystonia; as well as muscle spasms and movement disorders. Some migraine sufferers have even found relief with this treatment. Overall, doctors have found many uses for targeted temporary paralysis of small muscles.
Isn’t Botulism Dangerous?
BOTOX is derived from the same anaerobic bacterium that causes the disease botulism, but it isn’t the same. It does not spread to other parts of the body or cause illness. There have been cases of patients having a bad reaction to BOTOX, but this is on par with the same rates of patient allergies or side effects to other medications. In its first years of use, the FDA reported only 36 cases of adverse reactions between 1989 and 2003. Today, BOTOX is considered safe for a wide range of therapeutic uses.
As a fast, non-invasive, non-surgical treatment, many patients find BOTOX a beneficial treatment. It can be administered in as little as 15 minutes and does not require any recovery period. If other treatments have not ended your TMJ pain, it may give you relief.
Visit Dr. Jack Haney DDS for Knoxville BOTOX Treatments
If you’ve been experiencing jaw pain, clicking in the jaw, facial muscle fatigue, or jaw clenching, call our office. We will schedule a TMJ consultation with Dr. Haney for you, so he can analyze your bite and assess your symptoms. Knoxville BOTOX treatments may be recommended as a possible treatment. Make an appointment at Jack Haney, DDS by call 865-693-6886 today!
