TMJ Treatment in Greenville, SC
TMJ Treatment in Greenville, SC. Root-cause acupuncture + functional medicine. Dr. Hendry, DAOM, NCBAHM-certified. Call (864) 365-6156.
"I can't say enough good things about Dr. Hendry. He really listens to your experience and what you need to share about your situation, is patient, and takes the time to explain clearly what acupuncture is about."
— Catherine Hosack · April 2015 · Google Review
When I press on the masseter and the patient says that's exactly the pain they've been describing to their dentist for three years, I know we're at the right place. The masseter is among the densest trigger point-carrying muscles in the body — and the most commonly undertreated in conventional TMJ care. I needle the masseter, temporalis, and both pterygoids directly, because jaw pain requires jaw muscle treatment. The joint inflammation and cervical contribution get addressed simultaneously, but the myofascial load is where most of the pain is actually living.
How TMJ Treatment Works
TMJ treatment combines local acupoints at ST6, ST7, GB2, TW21 (around the TMJ) with dry needling of the masseter and temporalis trigger points that generate the referred head and jaw pain. Auricular acupuncture at jaw, cervical, and nervous system points addresses the neural sensitization component. Moxibustion is used for chronic cold-type TMJ.
Conditions Treated with TMJ Treatment
TMJ Needling Protocols vs. Dental Occlusal Splints Alone for Temporomandibular Dysfunction
Occlusal splints are a mainstay of dental TMJ management, and their rationale is well-founded: by repositioning the mandible and reducing the occlusal load transmitted to the joint during bruxism and clenching, they protect the articular disc and reduce joint loading. Splint therapy is appropriate and often necessary for patients with documented disc displacement or joint pathology. The limitation of splint therapy alone is that it does not deactivate the masseter and pterygoid trigger points that are driving jaw pain, headache, and restricted opening. A patient wearing a splint eight hours per night still has sixteen hours of masseter hypertonicity loading the joint. Dommerholt and Huijbregts (2011) are explicit that established myofascial trigger points in the jaw musculature require direct mechanical intervention for deactivation, not passive unloading. Our protocols combine dry needling of the masseter, temporalis, and pterygoid trigger points with acupuncture for capsular inflammation and central pain modulation. When an occlusal splint is indicated, we coordinate with the patient's dentist so that the splint addresses the structural joint protection while our needling addresses the myofascial root cause of the pain itself. This combination produces outcomes that neither modality consistently achieves alone.
Research & Evidence
Temporomandibular joint dysfunction encompasses intraarticular disc displacement, capsular inflammation, and myofascial overload of the masseter, temporalis, medial and lateral pterygoid muscles. The myofascial component accounts for the majority of TMJ-associated pain in clinical populations and is frequently the primary driver even when disc displacement is present on imaging. Trigger points in the masseter refer pain to the molar teeth, jaw, and temporal region; pterygoid trigger points produce ear pain and restricted opening. Dommerholt and Huijbregts (2011) document the masseter as carrying one of the densest trigger point loads of any muscle in the body, reflecting its constant postural and functional loading. Dry needling of the masseter and pterygoid trigger points deactivates the motor endplate dysfunction driving jaw hypertonicity and restricted opening. Acupuncture at local TMJ points and distal large intestine and stomach meridian points reduces the neurogenic inflammation within the joint capsule and modulates the central pain processing contributing to jaw pain chronicity. Our TMJ protocols coordinate with dental and orthodontic providers where structural occlusal factors are identified.
Your First Appointment
Describe your TMJ symptoms: pain location (joint vs. muscle), clicking or popping, morning pain vs. end-of-day worsening, and jaw range of motion limitations. History of bruxism, orthodontic work, and dental procedures is relevant.
Why Dr. Hendry for TMJ Treatment
Dr. Hendry's trigger point expertise in the masticatory muscles is combined with his understanding of the neurological connection between TMJ disorders, cervical dysfunction, and headache — treating the whole pain network rather than the joint in isolation.