This post is an overview of what I believe to be the four root causes of TMJ symptoms. Before diving in, I want to define "main causes" as stated in the title. I am referring to the most common root causes, not an exhaustive list. There are always outliers, and my heart goes out to those dealing with TMJ stemming from cancer, autoimmune disease, or other conditions where even less information exists, in the already limited TMJ conversation. If you'd like to take a deeper dive into these four pillars and see how they relate to TMD, or all chronic disease for that matter, you can sign up for the Premium Skool Tier. The Core Four: 1. Structural Issues 2. Nervous System & Stress 3. Myofascial Issues 4. Lifestyle Let me do a brief dive into each of these, we can always discuss them at greater length in a later post. One very important thing to note is the order in which these need to be addressed. I find that getting the order right is just AS essential as figuring out which one(s) you're dealing with. So when you read 1–4, by no means are they ranked by how common they are. Ironically, I believe number two, a dysregulated nervous system, is likely the biggest and most common culprit. 1. Structural Issues Many issues fall under this umbrella. Some tend to be more rare, like a benign tumor requiring surgical intervention. Others are more commonly seen, like underdeveloped jaws. If someone's jaw didn't grow forward and wide enough, it brings on a chain of complications — an obstructed airway, compression in the TMJ joint from the mandible being "stuck" back by a recessed maxilla, narrow palates causing poor nasal breathing, sleep apnea, tongue/lip/cheek ties, and bad occlusion, to name a few. From my own research and experience, these need to be addressed before any muscle or fascia work, because muscles follow structure and will always compensate until the structure is corrected. Now, this doesn't mean going to a chiropractor to be "put into alignment" (I don't fully agree with that in a general sense anyway). I'm talking about getting unstuck from forward head posture. If your jaws are recessed and cutting off your airway, your body will have no choice but to extend your head forward to prioritize breathing. The downstream effects, tight muscles, neck pain, poor posture, are minor inconveniences compared to insufficient oxygen.

Welcome in to everyone joining. Please introduce yourself by responding to this post, say which part of the world you’re in if comfortable, (helpful for connecting with others and provider recommendations), explain any symptoms you experience, or anything else you'd like to add. I find many people think they are alone in experiencing their specific pain, however this community has brought a lot of us together and taught me otherwise. ONE IMPORTANT NOTE: This Skool Community is organized into three tiers. 1.) Free: You have access to our community and forum. Please connect, share, and learn from others. I will be contributing as well. You will notice four tabs labeled with a root cause for TMD (and all chronic disease for that matter). Each tab will provide a small sample on how we explore each topic deeper in the Premium Membership. If you are part of the free community, and have specific question pertaining to one of the four topics, please post it under that tab. I love organization and most, probably, definitely, possibly have OCD, so it's appreciated. 2.) Premium: All benefits from the first tier, and access to research findings, articles, video tutorials, blog posts, and any other information on my own healing journey. The founding ~40 members were given this for free. 3.) VIP: Benefits from tier one and two, along with biweekly group Q&A calls where you can bring specific questions or topics to ask about and discuss. Finally, as I grow this Skool, I will also be adding lengthier in depth videos on specific topics (topics can be requested) for one time purchases. Thank you all so much for being here, reading this over and hope to connect soon! With love, John