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Writer's pictureRyan Lynch, Owner, PT, CODN, CCTT

Pandemic Increased Jaw Pain

As this unprecedented pandemic continues, many people are beginning to develop jaw and neck pain associated with increased stress and jaw clenching. Lynch Physical Therapy is here to help.


While many of us are struggling to find some sort of silver lining during the COVID-19 crisis to ease our mind, the reality is it is weighing on our bodies in more ways than we could have ever imagined. Whether it be hair loss, weight gain, sleepless nights, or increased jaw pain, this is not a scenario any of us ever thought would play out in our lifetime.


Our bodies were not prepared to endure the trauma that has been presented to us over the course of the last year. The global pandemic has filled us with an array of difficult emotions of worry, uncertainty, sadness and sorrow. Often, our bodies respond to these emotions with both muscle tension in the neck region and clenching of the jaw. Many people are subsequently experiencing facial and TMJ pain, and even surprisingly cracked teeth.


Although we are beginning to see a slight glimmer of light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, we are still far from our pre-COVID-19 days. Nevertheless, uniformly we all grasp on to hope as the infection numbers are slowly declining and vaccines are being administered. Pandemic increased jaw pain may seem debilitating, but there are solutions to help reverse the strain placed on the neck and jaw while at the same time reducing orofacial pain at Lynch Physical Therapy.


While some rehabilitation offices are starting to proclaim themselves “TMJ specialists,” the truth is that Lynch Physical Therapy is one of the only physical therapy clinics in the greater Baltimore region to have the education and experience to warrant this label.

“As the practice owner, I hold the distinction of being a Certified Cervical and Temporomandibular Therapist (CCTT), one of only 70 in North America.”

In order to obtain the title CCTT, I had to specialize my personal practice to primarily work with jaw and neck pain patients over the course of five years. Additionally, I underwent extensive course work, training and research reviews to be eligible to sit for the national accreditation examination. In other words, I am one of the few people who truly specializes in the treatment of TMJ pain, cervicogenic headache, orofacial pain and cervical dysfunction.


Specializing in Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD) at Lynch Physical Therapy


Because my specialty is so unique, I immediately found a niche in this underserved patient population. Each week, I speak to dentists, oral surgeons and ENTs who are thrilled to have Lynch Physical Therapy as a collaborative partner to help assist in the treatment of TMJ and orofacial pain for their patients. As I expanded my practice last year, I was fortunate enough to add two extremely skilled therapists, Erin Eberle and Lauren Guest to my team. Both therapists already had an abundance of experience in outpatient orthopedics, but sought to further their skills by learning the intricacies of TMD physical therapy. Erin and Lauren have studied and trained directly under my supervision, with their knowledge and manual skills formally tested to certify their advanced TMD training.


When it comes down to it, physical therapy practices are patient referral-based businesses. With large chains and private practices alike competing for clientele, some offices claim expertise in areas where they show little more than familiarity. In contrast, the providers of Lynch Physical Therapy provide over a hundred TMJ pain therapy treatments every week —that is a number most other physical therapy clinics cannot amass in a year. To dentists, oral surgeons, PCPs and ENTs in the region, Lynch Physical Therapy is synonymous with resolving TMJ and orofacial pain.


For more information, visit our website at www.lynchphysicaltherapy.com, or by calling (410) 960-1601.

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