Acupuncture treatment in temporomandibular joint pain after tooth extraction

Temporomandibular joint (TMЈ) or jaw joint is one of the most active joints in the human body. Temporomandibular joint connects the lower jaw (mandible) with the temporal bone that is part of the skull and gives the lower jaw the possibility of multiple movements. Most common symptoms are: pain when chewing near the joint and the ear, difficulty opening the mouth or inability to move the jaw, sound of cracking, headache, neck pain, buzzing in the ears (tinnitus), hearing problems or balance and so on. According to classical medicine, therapy usually consists of removing the causes of increased joint burden, resting and relaxing the joint, massage around the joint, passive mouth-opening exercises, cold anti-inflammatory drugs, and so on. Acupuncture is the most common used technique in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to treat lesions of the temporomandibular joint. Acupuncture is a technique which involves insertion of needles into the acupuncture points of the skin in order to stimulate the blood circulation and balance energy through the meridians. The study included 8 patients, 5 men and 3 women, aged 22 to 65. All patients experienced pain and soreness in TMJ. All patients are treated with acupuncture at one acupuncture point ST7 (Xiaguan). In all patients, an effect is achieved on average with 2 treatments. Acupuncture as a treatment for temporomandibular joint pain after tooth extraction is an effective treatment and helps to relieve muscle spasms, reduces pain and swelling, releasing the jaw in a natural way and allows it to move freely.