Blog & Columns
Useful information about health and Korean medicine.
Total 29 posts
What do we measure when your face looks uneven from side to side?
They say their face looks lopsided in every photo. When we ask more, they always chew on the same side, and the jaw on that side feels stiff. People don't come in just about appearance. Usually there's pain or discomfort when chewing as well.
When your mouth won't open well and something seems to catch
If your mouth is stuck open and won't close, your jaw may be dislocated, and you need care right away. Don't try to force it back into place. On the other hand, if one day your mouth suddenly locks so that you can't fit even two fingers in, don't put that off either.
What do we look at when several clinics couldn't find the cause?
They've had headaches and neck pain for years, but scans of the head and neck only came back with "nothing abnormal." Medication helps for a while, then it flares up again, over and over — and many come to us feeling this is their last try.
Why we look all the way down to your feet when jaw treatment doesn't last
Their jaw feels stiff and their neck and shoulders are always tight. They've had just those areas treated at several places, but it comes back before long. In cases like this, looking only at the upper body won't give an answer. So we look at the whole body.
Why we check your jaw when you come in for neck and shoulder pain
They say that every afternoon the back of their neck stiffens and their head starts to throb. Massage or physical therapy makes it better that day, but it's back the next. Most people assume it's their posture.
When your child's jaw clicks and they complain of headaches
Their jaw makes a sound every time they open their mouth, and they come home from school and rest because of a headache. Some children also say they hear sounds in their ears. Children aren't good at describing pain.
When chewing hurts so much you've switched to soft foods
They say their jaw hurts sharply when they open their mouth or chew, so they've started avoiding tough foods and eating only soft ones. Mealtimes have become a burden. Many come to us after trying several other places.
Can dizziness be caused by the neck or jaw?
Dizziness is a symptom with causes that need to be checked urgently. If you have even one of the signs below, go to the emergency room or see a neurologist before coming to us: slurred speech, weakness in an arm or leg on one side, paralysis on one side of the face, double vision, dizziness so severe you can't walk, or a severe headache unlike any you've had before.
Are rounded shoulders just a shoulder problem?
Looking only at the shoulders often doesn't solve it. That's because the shoulders are often just where misalignment pushed up from below or down from above shows on the outside. Many people think shoulders that curl forward are only a matter of weak shoulder muscles. But in the clinic, we often see shoulders curl forward again a few days after we've opened them up, no matter how much. That's because what made the shoulders that way
How do you assess torticollis, when the neck tilts to one side?
The most important question is when it started. Whether it has been there since infancy, appeared while growing up, or came on suddenly in adulthood makes it a completely different story. Torticollis is a condition where the neck tilts to one side and the face turns toward the other. It has one name but many causes, and the way it is handled differs just as much. If one side of the neck muscle stays shortened for a long time
Do a Herniated Disc in the Neck and the Jaw Joint Affect Each Other?
They do. The lower jaw hangs from the skull and the head sits on top of the neck, so when the angle of the neck changes, where the jaw closes changes too. That's why we look at the jaw when you come in with neck pain, and at the neck when you come in with jaw pain. The two are structurally connected. When the head moves forward, the lower jaw is pushed back. Biting and chewing in that position
Can Tinnitus Be Related to the Jaw or Neck?
Some of it is. If the loudness of the sound changes when you move your jaw or shift your neck posture, it may be the kind that involves muscles and joints. But there's something to make clear first. Tinnitus is far more often a problem with the ear itself, and seeing an ENT (ear, nose, and throat) doctor comes first. Tinnitus that starts suddenly in particular needs prompt attention. If one ear suddenly feels blocked