Dry needling. Only one session in, and it has helped my jaw/neck more than almost anything I’ve tried.

A list of things I’ve tried for my TMJD so far:

-Hot/cold therapy -Shockwave therapy -TENS unit (not directly to the jaw, but surrounding muscles) -OTC painkillers -LDN -Professional night guard -Prescription NSAID’s -duloxetine, ametryptiline, every go-to medication for pain -Posture stretches/exercises (too painful to do by themselves, even with modifications) -Yoga -Meditation -deep breathing -Magnesium -being physically active -Mental health counseling -Deep tissue massage -Fascia counterstrain technique -Trigger point massage -Professional massage -soft diet

I want to cry. I went into my fourth session with this new PT I’ve been seeing, and I was having horrible pain in my left TMJ with some crunching sounds, as well as some stiffness in my neck, all despite being diligent in doing my exercises. I agreed to give dry needling a try, as that is something I haven’t done yet. I got some needles put into my neck and jaw muscles and sat for 15 minutes. I hated how the needles felt and didn’t expect anything from it, but immediately, it was like my jaw and neck completely regained range of motion they haven’t had in years. It really felt like I sat up with a completely new neck.

I’m not going to knock most of the things listed above. Nor am I saying that dry needling has fixed me, or is a cure or anything. I feel like the exercises the PT gave me to do feel so much more doable than before. I’m less afraid of hurting myself by overstretching. It’s like trigger point massage but better.