Last Updated on March 15, 2024

Wondering if acupuncture can work for TMJ? Inner Gate Health & Wellness explains why you may want to try acupuncture for TMJ.

Table of Contents

Causes of TMJ

TMJ affects roughly 5-12% of the US population. For many, TMJ can be excruciatingly painful and even debilitating. Several common factors can cause a person to develop TMJ:

Poor posture: Being hunched over a computer, lugging around a heavy backpack, sleeping in the wrong position, or developing forward head posture can all cause TMJ.
Gum chewing, hard foods, or chewy foods: When we chew food that requires excessing chewing, it can strain your jaw and cause pain.
Dehydration: If you don’t drink enough fluids, your joints will wear away from lack of lubrication.
Stress: Some people clench their jaw from stress, which is never good. If you catch yourself clenching your jaw, try to stop.
Vitamin D deficiency: If you don’t get enough vitamin D, it can deteriorate your bone health and muscle contraction. If you can’t get sun, take a vitamin D supplement.
Hormone fluctuations: This mainly occurs in women during menopause and pregnancy when their hormone levels fluctuate dramatically.

If you suspect you may have TMJ, you’ll want to talk to your doctor to start treatment and reduce any factors contributing to your jaw pain.

Benefits of Acupuncture for TMJ

Several studies have found that acupuncture can help heal and relieve symptoms of TMJ. Patients who receive acupuncture treatments may:

Relieve discomfort and pain: The pins will trigger the release of serotonin and endorphins, which are natural painkillers.
Improve movement in opening and closing the jaw: Placing the pins around the jaw will stimulate muscle mobility that can increase the jaw’s range of motion.
Reduce inflammation: The pins trigger the production of cortisol that fights inflammation.
Relieve stress: Acupuncture releases the tension in your jaw’s muscles and releases hormones in the body that manage your body’s stress response, creating a relaxing sensation.

Need an appointment now for your TMJ pain? Book an appointment with one of our experienced clinical acupuncturists.

Related Link: Acupuncture and Shoulder Pain

How Acupuncture for TMJ Works

The acupuncture pins stimulate the nerves in the jaw, changing the signaling quality along the nerve cells. By modulating the release of neuropeptides and neurotransmitters, the acupuncture pins suppress nociceptive trigeminal nucleus caudalis and spinal dorsal horn neurons, which can speed healing and repair nerve damage.

Acupuncture also stimulates endorphins, which can dampen and block pain reception in the brain and relieve stress caused by jaw pain. The pins are typically placed in the following areas to relieve TMJ:

Earlobe
Face
Jaw
Hand
Foot
Above the hyoid bone in the neck
Elbow
Knee

Several trigger points on the body can affect your jaw’s ability to heal. But the majority of pins will likely be placed on the trigger points of the masseter, lateral pterygoid, medial pterygoid, and temporalis muscles around the jaw.

How Effective is Acupuncture for TMJ?

A recent study found that warm needle acupuncture had a 93% effective rate for alleviating TMJ pain and restoring mobility. Standard manual acupuncture also had an effective rate of 86.7%. Of these patients in the study, a majority had full recovery or significant recovery from:

Swelling and pain
Headache and tinnitus
The clicking sound of the jaw
Jaw mobility

If you’re struggling with TMJ or have many of these symptoms, you may want to consider warm needle acupuncture or standard manual acupuncture for managing or eliminating symptoms.

What to Expect During a TMJ Acupuncture Appointment

When seeing an acupuncturist for TMJ, your first appointment will be the longest because you’ll need to disclose the following for the optimal treatment:

Detailed medical history
Family history of TMJ
Activity levels
Stress levels
Diet
TMJ treatment history before acupuncture

Once ready for treatment, you’ll lie face-up on a treatment table. You shouldn’t need to undress for the appointment because most pins will be in and around your face. However, you may have a few pins placed on other parts of your body, like your hand or foot.

When all the needles have been placed, the acupuncturist may leave the room to let you rest while the pins stimulate your nerves and muscles. You’ll need to rest for about fifteen minutes before the acupuncturist will adjust or remove the pins, depending on the results.

Do you live in Portland and want an experienced, certified acupuncturist? Learn more about our acupuncture services.

How Long Does an Acupuncture for TMJ Appointment Typically Last?

When treating TMJ using acupuncture, you can expect your appointment to last between 90 minutes to two hours. Appointment time will largely depend on the severity of symptoms and treatment goals. The acupuncturist will provide a treatment plan after your first visit.

Depending on your severity, you may need a couple of appointments to treat the TMJ fully. After your first appointment, additional treatments will typically take about thirty minutes to complete. The frequency and number of acupuncture treatments will vary based on the severity of your TMJ.

Risks or Side Effects of Acupuncture for TMJ

Acupuncture is generally regarded as a low-risk treatment. But there are some common side effects that you may experience during or after treatment:

Minor soreness
Bruising
Slight bleeding at the insertion point
Dizziness

Other more serious side effects include:

Nerve damage
Hepatitis B
Dermatitis
Internal Bleeding

These more serious acupuncture side effects can be avoided if you choose an experienced acupuncturist that uses sterilized pins. Speak to your acupuncturist if you are experiencing some of these serious side effects.

Acupuncture For TMJ is an Effective Treatment Option

A proven remedy for TMJ, acupuncture is an excellent option for patients that suffer from continual jaw pain and mobility issues. Acupuncture can relieve symptoms and stimulate your jaw’s healing. You’ll want to choose a reputable acupuncturist that utilizes sterilized pins to avoid severe side effects.

Inner Gate Health & Wellness has experienced, board-certified acupuncturists that can help relieve your TMJ. If you live in the Portland area, you’ll want to book an appointment to start your personalized treatment plan and get back to normal life.
Related Link: What is Carpal Tunnel?

Katherine V.

March 9, 2023.

While recovering from injuries sustained from a car accident, I have seen a few different acupuncturists as well as a chiropractor and masseuse at Inner Gate, and I have appreciated them all. The care I've received has been stellar - compassionate, personable, considerate, and soothing. Truly, Inner Gate practitioners have greatly helped me in my healing process. Thank you!

Abbie W.

July 26, 2022.

I have been seeing Nick Maxwell for Craniosacral massage for the last several months after a car accident left me with whiplash, nagging low back pain, a mild concussion, and stress and anxiety. He is an incredibly gifted healer that has helped me immensely! I have had a plethora of bodywork over the years, and I can undoubtedly say that his massages are the best. He has also helped with digestive issues/SIBO/nervous system recovery. I would never see anyone else again after finding him. I am much calmer, happier, and healing well thanks in big part to his care.

Elizabeth M.

February 10, 2022.

Well, I will start by saying that Nicholas Maxwell is my favorite massage therapist. I went to him after 1 year of shoulder pain. Before going to him, I was waiting for the pain to just go away; it didn't. He was the first person I sought any help from. I'm sorry to say, I didn't expect that much relief from a massage but after about 3 sessions I felt close to cured of 1 whole year of pain! He recommended a great physical therapist to solve my shoulder stiffness and pain. My pt said that Nick did a great job of loosening up the muscles for a quicker recovery. Nick seemed to wipe out all the surface pain and extraneous tenderness so that my pt could pinpoint my injury which turned out to be shoulder tendonitis. Now I see both of them concurrently. They both gave the same estimate for recovery, which was shorter than I thought it would be. I've had more that 50 massages in my lifetime (CA, NY, NV), Nick is the only massage therapist I have been to that leaves me feeling better for days and days after the actual massage. If I could describe what Nick's massages feel like, it would be like this: If the ocean waves had massaging hands, they would be Nick's. Before going to Nick, I am a chuck steak. After my massage, I am filet mignon. What can I say, Nick Is Awesome!!

Julian J.

November 4, 2021.

My physical therapist suggested acupuncture for my chronic knee injury in July 2021. I'm going to explain my story, but I want to say at the beginning that Emma Ellsworth at Inner Gate Health & Wellness saved me from a life of chronic pain. It's really difficult and frustrating to find good care anywhere these days, so trust me when I tell you that you can end your search now. Just call Inner Gate and ask for Emma. I always find it helpful to read health care reviews from folks who suffer from the same issues as me, so here's a bit about my medical history: My orthopedic physician diagnosed me with IT band syndrome in my right knee in January 2021. I began a course of physical therapy, but not only did the IT band syndrome not get better, I actually developed IT band syndrome in my left leg due to overcompensation. I pushed myself a little too hard and started noticing that even very light exercise would cause my symptoms to flare up (inflammation, pain, swelling, etc.). By May 2021, I could not walk more than 3 blocks at a time without my knees flaring up. Keep in mind that I'm an otherwise healthy person in my mid-30s. I then developed hamstring tendinopathy in both legs, I assume to disuse. Along with preexisting patellofemoral pain syndrome issues, suffice to say that my knees were totally busted, okay. After all that, my physical therapist and orthopedic physician basically threw their hands up and suggested either cortisone shots for the rest of my life, acupuncture, or prescription pain medication that I really shouldn't be taking due to family history of hypertension. In comes Emma. I'm a huge believer in modern Western medicine and everything, but Emma succeeded where two physical therapists, a physiatrist, my orthopedic physician, and my primary care doctor all failed. Emma succeeded not only because she did something they did not - acupuncture - but she succeeded because she was more effective and patient at taking time to find the actual root cause of my issues. She is super methodical about interviewing me at the beginning of every session, evaluating what worked / didn't work from last time, trying out new areas for acupuncture, and over the course of 4 weeks eventually found an acupuncture solution that reduced my pain. I remember when it happened - I had an acupuncture session one Friday in October, and two days later I was going for a walk and ended up walking like 3 times further than I had walked in the past 6 months. I stopped and was like, "Wow my legs don't hurt at all." The pain literally vanished, went from a 5-6/10 on the pain scale all day every day down to 0-1. The massive pain reduction has allowed me to resume my physical therapy exercises with less pain and start rebuilding my knee strength. I still go to acupuncture to deal with some knee meniscus issues and overall wellness / mental health issues. Honestly, I feel such a tremendous sense of wellness after every acupuncture session that I kind of don't ever want to stop going. Anyway, if you made it this far, thanks for reading and hopefully my story is helpful. Seriously, go see the folks at Inner Gate. You won't regret it!!

Mitchell P.

October 19, 2021.

Inner Gate Health & Wellness provides exceptional care! Their staff, specifically Emma Ellsworth, is skillful, compassionate, and effective at providing holistic healing services, including acupuncture. I highly recommend treatment with Inner Gate and Emma Ellsworth for symptoms including depression, anxiety, pelvic floor pain, back pain, and digestion issues.

Ruben S.

April 15, 2021.

This is a long overdue, rave review for Terry. I've been to many acupuncturists over the last decade and she is hands down the most helpful and accommodating. I came in with a very unsolvable problem (tinnitus) and had tried everything before coming to Terry. Terry has helped improve my symptoms with Tinnitus and a number of other issues. She's also extremely patient and takes time out of every session at the beginning to go over progress and how I'm feeling. She has a good understanding of my problems and is always ready with solutions to help. Acupuncture with Terry is one of the highlights of my week -- thank you for being so great!!

Dr. Kaley B.

November 28, 2020.

Very impressed! Great acupuncture, well organized front desk. Liz is fantastic, and I'm not a fan of needles. Finally got some relief from back and neck pain. Looking forward to a few more sessions!

Abbie W.

September 15, 2020.

I highly recommend Oliver Leonetti at Innergate Acupuncture! I have seen him for the last 12 years for various ailments - ranging from nagging sports injuries to digestive issues to insomnia/anxiety, and he always provides the highest level of care that truly lasts. Not only is he extremely knowledgeable and skilled, but he is super kind and caring and always take the time to truly listen. I always feel better after leaving my appointment. I honestly do not know what I would do without Oliver or Innergate Acupuncture! Also, I've seen several of the acupuncturists there, and they are all fantastic as well.

M W.

July 9, 2020.

I can't recommend these guys enough! I have a 10 yr old competitive skier who was having some knee pain & had never had acupuncture done before...not only did these guys gently ease him into the entire process - they also helped him get back on the ski hill after the first couple of treatments I was super impressed with their professionalism & how both Liz and Casey approached his injury - now my little guy looks forward to going to his acupuncture appointments! Yay! Thank you a zillion times over for taking such good care of my little guy.

Abby J.

January 9, 2020.

I used to think acupuncture was sort of hokey. Not total witchcraft, but definitely not the magic, cure-all that people said. Well, folks, a few months in and I can report that I'm a changed woman! Well, really, it only took one session. Terry took my whole health history into consideration and helped with everything. Anxiety, sleeplessness, colds, ankle injuries, back pain--you name it. I've come in with problems and always left improved. I'm sure all the acupuncturists are lovely, but I want to stress how awesome Terry is. She takes my concerns seriously without making me feel like I'm at a stuffy doctors office. She approaches her work with humor and friendliness and is spot on with her treatment. Terry has made me feel comfortable from the get-go and has made my weekly appointments something for me to look forward to. My friends all have heard me rave about her, so I'd say everyone I know should go see her, but then I may never be able to squeeze in my appointments again! Just kidding, of course. Also, big props to the front desk staff too. They have been super kind and helpful when guiding me through insurance issues or unexpected after work traffic. I'd highly recommend Inner Gate SE to anyone with any ailment!

Acupuncture for TMJ: How It Helps Jaw Pain