Bradley Stoke Physio & Health

What can we do for you?

When you're fed up of your constant headache, or the disruption that pain and stiffness in your jaw causes to your everyday being, it is time to make an appointment with one of our Headache & Jaw Pain specialist physiotherapists.

Headaches

We'll focus on alleviating that constant dull ache, that pain that radiates over your head or perhaps it's worse on one side of your head or has been there for days, weeks or even months. Some patients may experience a noticeable difference after the very first treatment, others will find a gradual improvement over a few sessions, but our aim is to get you pain and discomfort free for the long-term.

Jaw Pain

Essentially we can treat the cause of the pain or soreness felt when you eat or talk. With treatment, talking will be more comfortable as the trouble you have opening and closing your mouth disappears, and it will stop hurting as you chew.  Any pops, clicks and other noises you experience may stop bothering you.

In your first session, do mention to your therapist if you have also been suffering from headaches, migraine, earache, dizziness, neck ache, backache or sensitivity to sound.  Tension and pain in the jaw can also cause these knock-on effects and can be treated in your time with us.

Read more about your action plan and what to expect from your appointments at Bradley Stoke Physio & Health. 

What type of headaches and jaw pain do we treat?

It can be hard to know what exactly causes your jaw pain or headache, so your Bradley Stoke Physio & Health therapist can help you to find out then will the underlying problem and stop the pain from coming back. 

Headaches

There are generally three types of headache that we can treat:

• Common headaches including those that have come on recently and are either constant or come and go
• Migraines with or without the aura
• Tension headaches that usually cause mild to moderate pain. These include cluster headaches (one sided or around the eye), and neck headaches (cervicogenic headaches) that may even cause pain in your face

Jaw Pain

Some common reasons for jaw pain include:

• Over-activity of jaw
• Grinding or clenching jaw (some people do this in their sleep)
• Reaction to stress
• Wear and tear inside of the joint
• Change in the way your upper and lower teeth fit together – dental work, new dentures, fillings etc.
• Injury

Technically the jaw joint is called the Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ).  Thus if you’ve had a chat with your doctor, dentist or another trained medical professional such as a physiotherapist, they may have referred to the pain around the jaw as:

• TMJ pain
• TMJ dysfunction
• Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD)

A doctor or physiotherapist might also call it ‘Myofascial pain disorder’.

The key for either headaches or jaw pain is if you're not sure if we can help you or not, please get in touch for a chat with one of our Headache & Jaw Pain team and they will be able to advise.

What therapies do we use to treat Headache & Jaw Pain?

Headaches are treated using physiotherapy techniques.  Acupuncture has also been proven to be extremely beneficial in treating some types of headaches, so you'll be able to talk with your Bradley Stoke Physio & Health physiotherapist to find out if this would help you.

Our TMJ specialists use Physiotherapy techniques to treat Jaw Pain. Your therapist will use gentle techniques that will improve the movement in your jaw, reduce any swelling that you may have, and get rid of the pain and tenderness you feel around your ear and cheek. This form of treatment is often used in close collaboration with your dentist.

Meet our Headache & Jaw Pain Therapists

Louise Dodds and Caroline Sweetnam are our physiotherapists with a special interest in treating TMJ/Jaw Pain and Headaches.  Kath Stephenson also has extensive experience of helping people get rid of their headaches.

How do you know if you need us?

An appointment with one of our Headache & Jaw Pain therapists could help if:

You have a headache that presents one or more of the following...

• A constant dull, ache
• May be felt on or off for days, weeks or even months
• Are accompanied by pain that radiates from the back to the front of the head
• Is felt on one side of the head more than the other
• A stiff or sore neck
• Has slowly set in

You have pain in your jaw and...

• Resting your jaw for a few days doesn’t reduce the discomfort
• The jaw pain wakes you in the night
• You suffer from headaches, earache, neck or back ache, or dizziness even after the jaw pain has subsided

Resting your jaw can be tricky, but you can try:

• Avoiding opening your mouth too widely (so no singing or yawning!)
• Eating softer foods that don’t need too much chewing
• Keeping talking to a minimum

How much does it cost?

Treatment under our Jaw Pain & Headaches Service is charged at our normal physiotherapy rates.  The overall cost will depend on for how long you would like to receive treatment. Click here for our pricelist.