TMJ Disorders

“I came to Michael for my TMJ pain. Within just a few sessions I experienced a great deal of relief from the muscle strain in my neck, jaw and shoulders. Michael’s gentle cranial sacral and visceral manipulation adjustments continue to improve my over all health at each visit with little or no discomfort in the process.”

Aimee Bullock  |  More testimonials »


I use gentle assessments and hands-on therapies to help people heal TMJ dysfunction. It is my experience that when you treat the entire body it can quickly heal. I use advanced osteopathic therapies to treat nerves, arteries, facet joints in the spine, cranial bones and membranes as a way to balance the TMJ and get to the source of the physical restrictions affecting the TMJ. The good news is that people respond very well to this type of gentle, hands-on therapy. Most people see significant improvement during the first one to five treatments.

Potential causes of TMJ dysfunction

Stress to the TMJ is usually due to strains within the entire body. Often physical trauma such as whiplash and hard impacts can limit the proper functioning of the body’s tissues. A physical injury can often be enough to set-up strains and cause TMJ dysfunction. Nerves, arteries, ligaments, and tissues surrounding the spinal cord in the area of the neck and the entire body often are major contributors to TMJ dysfunction. Other times the architecture of the mandible and the temporal bones that make up the joint can cause challenges. Stress takes many shapes and forms and when some of the issues above are combined with emotional stress, TMJ dysfunction often results.

More about my treatment approach

I take a thorough evaluation to help gain insight into the possible and unique causes at play for each person’s TMJ dysfunction. I will clearly communicate my treatment plan and welcome your feedback and input during the process. Treatment will include assessments and gentle manipulations to restore proper function to the tissues of your body. I will assist you in looking at any outside factors contributing to the TMJ issue such as; how you align and use your body, how to gain resources to manage emotional stress and how to physically support this work through the use of a stretching and strengthening routine.


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