TMJ and Dizziness

Dizziness, clinically called vertigo, is a feeling of being off-balance as the world around you seems to spin. When your jaw is poorly aligned and inflamed, it can put pressure on your inner ear, disrupting the organs that help you balance.

Your inner ear’s vestibular system is located in your temporal bone, where your jawbone attaches to your skull. Pressure from a poorly aligned jaw can throw your vestibular system off, confounding the signals sent to your brain about your body’s position in space and leading to feelings of vertigo.

Your temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is located directly beneath your eustachian tube, or ear canal, and connects your jawbone to your skull. It is a sliding hinge joint that allows you to talk and chew. Because of its proximity to the ear canal, pain that originates in the TMJ is often mistaken for ear pain.

Problems with the TMJ have been linked to several seemingly unrelated conditions, including:

• back pain
• shoulder pain
• neck pain
• migraine and general headaches
• problems swallowing
• facial pain
• jaw pain
• popping sounds in the jaw
• tinnitus
• congestion in the ears
• hearing loss and disorders
• pain when chewing
• pain behind the eyes
• lightheadedness and dizziness

TMJ syndrome may arise due to postural issues in the upper body that cause the joint to misalign. Texting and computer use may be primary contributors. The condition may also be caused by stress that makes you grind or clench your teeth at night.

TMJ syndrome is often associated with pain and dizziness due to a heightened vestibular response to jaw inflammation. A Korean study (Chung et al. 2012) was conducted on rats whose jaws were injected with an inflammatory agent. The experimental group subsequently displayed heightened vestibular nuclei activity, compared to controls that were injected with a neutral substance.

Another study (de Toledo et al. 2017) found that 40.8 percent of TMJ patients experienced vertigo associated with the syndrome, and 55.1% experienced otalgia (ear pain). While vestibular issues are not always caused by TMJ syndrome, it should not be ruled out as a potential cause of chronic dizziness.

Dizziness associated with TMJ syndrome can be effectively treated with chiropractic care and physical therapy. The first step is accurate diagnosis, to ensure that other issues are not affecting the vestibular system.

Conventional medical treatments for TMJ syndrome include bite devices, Botox injections, orthodontic care and surgery. However, there is little scientific evidence that any of those approaches are effective, and most are costly.

Effective conservative treatment options for TMJ syndrome include:

• Specialized physical therapy
• Ultrasound guided dry needling
• TMJ mobilization techniques
• Myofascial relaxation techniques
• Cranial osteopathy
• Craniosacral therapy
• Cervical stabilization
• Biofeedback therapy
• Surface electromyography (SEMG) feedback retraining for chewing and neck muscles

Once the TMJ is restored to proper function, dizziness symptoms should subside. If you still experience vertigo, your dizziness may have another underlying cause.