This series on jaw pain and TMJ is based on the case study of Rodney D. If you missed the beginning, go back to Part 1. So what do I think about when someone comes into my Neuromuscular Therapy office near Boston saying that they have TMJ pain or jaw pain? The lateral pterygoid! Sounds […]
Rodney had been coming regularly to the Massage Therapists in our Neuromuscular Therapy center in Metro West Boston for over a year mostly for maintenance, but he also had specific complaints of jaw and shoulder pain. He decided to try some Neuromuscular Therapy to see if he could get more relief for the shoulder and […]
According to Travell & Simons in their Trigger Point Manual, “In patients with chronic myofascial pain, attention to perpetuating factors often spells the difference between sucessful and failed therapy.” Perpetuating factors in the case of Krystal S. were an important consideration in reducing the need for continued treatment for restless leg syndrome at my Neuromuscular […]
When muscle tension and hyperactivity from Trigger Points are the cause of RLS, Neuromuscular Therapy is very successful in relieving symptoms and sometimes eliminating this disturbing condition. When an initial series of appointments works, but symptoms return, underlying or perpetuating factors need to be discovered. Treatment in the case of Krystal S. in my Neuromuscular […]
Back pain from a Lower Limb Length Inequality (LLLI) is a very common phenomenon, but since it is poorly understood medically, it doesn’t get much credence. In my practice I see it all the time. Just this month I’ve seen 5 patients with LLLI in my Neuromuscular Therapy center near Boston. The treatment usually involves […]
Pain from a curvature of the spine caused by LLLI (Lower Limb Length Inequality) is a common condition usually overlooked in medical evaluations. Having LLLI doesn’t always cause a problem, but when Trigger Points have formed, even one-eighth inch difference in the length of the legs can perpetuate pain if left uncorrected. (MDs Travell and […]
A healthy and fit man in his forties was sent to my Boston area Neuromuscular Therapy center by his wife because of continuous, chronic stiffness and pain in his back. It turned out to be caused by uneven leg length. (medical term: LLLI or Lower Limb Length Inequality). He had no accidents or surgeries that […]
There is information about muscle pain that is not included in the training of most medical professionals. Here are 5 things that are helpful to know in understanding your pain, things that I’ve learned as a Neuromuscular Therapist practicing in my 19th year in the Boston area. 1) Structural imbalances (like leg length inequality) cause […]
As a Neuromuscular Therapist, how do I think about chronic headache pain? If medical reasons for headaches have been ruled out, the cause is probably muscular Trigger Points. Examining the muscles in the neck and shoulders usually turns up at least one cause. But finding unhealthy muscles with Trigger Points is only targeting the symptoms. […]
In the case of Melinda W., I found a scoliosis and lower limb length inequality (LLLI) that were tilting her shoulders, causing tension in the jaw (TMJ) and neck musculature and giving her chronic headaches. I recommended trying a heel lift to level her out, and she scheduled a TMJ evaluation at a major Boston […]