Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction
By: Dr. Rebekah Miller, L.Ac
At Violet Wellness Spa in Fair Oaks, we are passionate about helping our patients achieve vibrant health through natural healing and personalized care. In addition to acupuncture, we offer a variety of complementary wellness services, including herbal medicine, cupping, red light therapy, cosmetic acupuncture, guasha, and moxibustion. Rather than only treating symptoms, we seek to identify and address the underlying imbalances that contribute to illness and discomfort. This holistic approach allows us to support the body's natural healing abilities while promoting long-term wellness and prevention.
This month, we would like to highlight three common conditions we frequently treat in our clinic: Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMD), pain associated with scar tissue and fascial adhesions, and acne. Although these conditions may appear unrelated, they often involve underlying patterns of inflammation, restricted circulation, and imbalance within the body's connective tissue and meridian systems. Through acupuncture and complementary therapies, we help restore healthy movement, improve circulation, and encourage lasting relief.
Many people experience symptoms of Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMD), a condition affecting the muscles and joints responsible for jaw movement. TMD can develop from a variety of causes, including stress, teeth grinding, injury, arthritis, poor posture, or muscle overuse. Patients commonly report jaw pain, clicking or popping, difficulty opening the mouth, headaches, and facial muscle tension. Some also experience ear pain, tinnitus, tooth sensitivity, or numbness and tingling in the face.
Research has shown that muscle dysfunction plays a significant role in many cases of TMD. Inflamed fascia, the connective tissue surrounding muscles, can develop adhesions that restrict normal movement and create painful trigger points. These trigger points may refer pain to other areas of the head, face, and neck, making the condition even more challenging. According to Cheng and colleagues, tension within these muscles can also place pressure on nearby nerves, contributing to headaches, facial discomfort, and altered sensation.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offers a comprehensive approach to treating TMD by addressing both the symptoms and the underlying patterns contributing to the condition. Emotional stress, one of the most common contributors to jaw tension, is often viewed in TCM as causing Liver Qi stagnation. When the smooth flow of Qi becomes restricted, patients may develop tight shoulders, tension headaches, jaw clenching, irritability, or disturbed sleep. Over time, chronic stagnation can also impair healthy blood circulation, leading to persistent pain and reduced tissue healing.
Treatment is tailored to each individual and may include acupuncture, herbal medicine, lifestyle recommendations, and stress management techniques. For chronic conditions, acupuncture helps improve circulation, relax tight muscles, and reduce inflammation, while herbal formulas may be selected to improve blood flow and resolve long-standing stagnation. Patients with previous surgeries, injuries, or dense scar tissue may also benefit from moxibustion, a gentle heat therapy that warms the meridians and supports healthy circulation throughout the affected tissues.
Cupping therapy and gua sha are valuable additions to acupuncture treatment for many patients with TMD. Both therapies work by improving blood flow, reducing muscle tension, and helping to release fascial adhesions that restrict movement. Studies have demonstrated that acupuncture, electroacupuncture, and acupuncture combined with cupping can significantly reduce pain associated with TMD. Research by Dunning and colleagues further found that acupuncture targeting both affected muscles and acupuncture meridians produced greater improvements in pain relief and jaw mobility than several conventional therapies, with benefits lasting for months after treatment. Additional studies have also shown that auricular acupuncture, or acupuncture performed on the ear, can effectively reduce stress and improve TMD symptoms at levels comparable to those achieved with occlusal splints or mouth guards.
Another area receiving increasing attention in both research and clinical practice is the role of scar tissue and fascial adhesions in chronic pain. While scars are a natural part of the healing process, they can sometimes create restrictions that affect tissues far beyond the original injury. Scar tissue is less flexible than healthy tissue and may alter the movement of surrounding fascia, muscles, and nerves. As a result, pain may develop not only at the site of the scar but also in seemingly unrelated parts of the body.
In our clinic, we frequently observe patients experiencing improvements in neck pain, shoulder discomfort, or low back pain after treating abdominal scars, including cesarean section scars or other surgical incisions. By improving mobility within the scar tissue and surrounding fascia, we can often restore healthier movement patterns and reduce mechanical stress throughout the body.
Emerging research supports these observations. The fascial system contains an extensive network of sensory nerve endings and plays an important role in communication throughout the body. According to research by Alison Slater, connective tissue and the nervous system work together to regulate movement, pain perception, and overall body function. Persistent irritation from scar tissue may contribute to ongoing activation of the sympathetic nervous system, increasing the production of stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol while promoting additional fibrosis. By reducing restrictions within the fascia and supporting tissue healing, acupuncture and manual therapies may help calm the nervous system and encourage healthier tissue remodeling.
We also enjoy helping patients improve their skin health, particularly those struggling with acne. While acne is often viewed as a skin condition alone, Traditional Chinese Medicine recognizes that it frequently reflects deeper internal imbalances. Depending on the individual, acne may result from excess internal heat, poor digestion, hormonal imbalance, impaired circulation, or a combination of these factors.
For some patients, digestive dysfunction contributes to inflammation and reduced elimination of waste products, resulting in symptoms such as fatigue, food sensitivities, bloating, and inflammatory skin breakouts. Others develop deeper cystic acne associated with poor circulation and blood stagnation, often influenced by hormonal fluctuations or chronic stress. Each presentation requires an individualized treatment plan rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
Our treatments combine internal and external therapies to support healthy, long-lasting results. Acupuncture and customized herbal medicine help address the underlying patterns contributing to acne, while red light therapy, facial acupuncture, microneedling, and carefully selected topical treatments work locally to reduce inflammation, improve circulation, stimulate collagen production, and promote healthy skin repair. This comprehensive approach not only supports clearer skin but also encourages overall wellness by improving the body's natural balance.
At Violet Wellness Spa, we believe true healing occurs when we treat the whole person rather than focusing on isolated symptoms. Whether someone is seeking relief from chronic jaw pain, recovering from the effects of scar tissue, or searching for healthier skin, our goal is to identify the underlying causes of imbalance and create a treatment plan tailored to each individual's needs. By combining the time-tested principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine with modern research and evidence-informed therapies, we help patients restore balance, improve function, and feel their best. Our commitment is not simply to relieve today's symptoms but to support lasting health, resilience, and vitality for years to come.