Botox vs. Trigger Point Injections: Which Is Best for My TMJ Pain?

Up to 12% of women and men suffer from a type of joint dysfunction called temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder. If you have TMJ issues, your jaw doesn’t work properly, which may create symptoms such as:

• Pain in your jaw
• A clicking sound in your jaw
• A popping sensation in your jaw
• Your jaw getting stuck
• Your jaw being out of alignment

A faulty TMJ can cause a lot of grief. In addition to being painful at the site of dysfunction, it may lead to referred pain in other areas of your face, neck, or shoulders. It can also contribute to tinnitus, or ringing in your ears, as well as sensitivity to sounds and dizziness.

In addition, TMJ may make it difficult to properly eat and chew your food. Your jaw may get “stuck” in mid-yawn. You could even have trouble talking due to pain or a jaw that won’t cooperate.

Dr. John East and our team at Addison Pain + Regenerative Medicine diagnose and treat TMJ disorders at our offices in Addison, Texas. The aim of the treatments we prescribe is to:

• Alleviate your pain
• Subdue the inflammation
• Reduce friction in your jaw

However, we start with a detailed examination and work-up, which may include an X-ray to identify why your TMJ isn’t working properly. In addition to dental misalignments, a bony disk in the joint that aids the smooth opening and closing of your jaw may have shifted.

Should you get trigger-point injections to stop the pain or Botox® to relax your jaw when you have TMJ issues? The answer could be either, or both, depending on what Dr. East finds.

Start with trigger points

If your TMJ pain hasn’t resolved after less-invasive procedures — such as regularly applying warm compresses and performing jaw-stretching and strengthening exercises — you may need a trigger point injection. Trigger point injections are administered directly in the tight bunches of muscle tissue — known as trigger points — where your pain is located.

Most trigger-point injections consist of corticosteroids. The steroids act quickly to alleviate pain and subdue inflammation. Your practitioner may also use injections of anesthetics for instant pain relief.

Add Botox

Once you’ve eliminated your pain with trigger-point injections, we may recommend injections with Botox. Botox is formulated with minute, sterile amounts of a neurotoxin called botulinum toxin. When injected directly into a muscle, Botox relaxes it.

You may be more familiar with Botox as a cosmetic, anti-wrinkle treatment. However, the way this drug works for wrinkles is similar to how it works for TMJ.

As a wrinkle treatment, Botox is injected into facial muscles in the forehead and around the eyes to stop them from over-contracting and causing wrinkles. The muscles smooth out and so does the skin over the muscles. The result is wrinkle-free skin.

The principle is the same with TMJ injections. When we administer Botox directly into your TMJ muscles, they relax slightly, alleviating pain caused by jaw clenching, teeth grinding, and tight muscles.

These injections last up to six months. In addition, by relaxing your jaw, Botox alleviates:

• Jaw clicking
• Jaw popping
• Jaw dislocation
• Airway collapse due to jaw dysfunction
• Bruxism

Because it’s a muscle relaxant, Botox may also decrease your tinnitus, or ear ringing, which is often associated with tight facial, neck, or shoulder muscles.

We may consult with your dentist too

Sometimes, TMJ issues arise due to a misalignment in your jaw that can be remedied with orthodontics. If you grind or clench your teeth, your dentist may recommend an oral appliance that you wear at night. This not only alleviates pressure on your jaw but keeps your teeth safe too.

Would you like to yawn, laugh, and shout for joy without worrying about your jaw freezing in pain? Call our office at 972-380-0000 or request an appointment online today for a TMJ evaluation and customized treatment plan.