Have you ever woken up in the morning with significant pain in your jaw or face? Or do you usually experience discomfort in your face throughout the day? If so, you could be struggling with TMJ, a condition that affects the joints in your jaw.

You don't have to live with facial pain. If you frequently experience pain in your face, Dr. Katharine Christian and the team at The Snoring & Sleep Apnea Center in Seattle, Washington, can help.

We offer cold laser therapy as a solution for facial discomfort caused by TMJ. See Dr. Christian for this treatment that stimulates healing if you're tired of this issue disrupting your life.

Causes of Facial Pain

If you have facial pain, it's often due to a problem with your temporomandibular joints (TMJ) on either side of your jaw. The joints are responsible for your ability to chew, move your jaw side-to-side, and talk.

TMJ disorders are common, unfortunately. They can arise from various issues, including injuries and clenching or grinding your teeth. Stress and arthritis are also common causes of TMJ disorders.

You often experience pain in your jaw or face when you suffer from a TMJ disorder. You may have other symptoms as well, including:

• Ear discomfort
• Pain when you chew
• Jaw locking or pain
• Clicking noises in your jaw
• Facial tenderness

When you have any of these symptoms, it can be simply annoying or can significantly affect your life. However, you don't have to suffer from TMJ symptoms forever. Dr. Christian offers treatments to ease your pain for good.

Understanding Cold Laser Therapy

Cold laser therapy is a noninvasive treatment that Dr. Christian uses to treat inflammation in your face and promote healing. If you have TMJ, this therapy helps decrease pain and discomfort with the use of low-intensity laser light energy.

The most significant aspect of cold laser therapy is that it doesn't involve any needles or invasive techniques. Dr. Christian uses a wand that has specialized light diodes in it. These diodes emit a low-intensity form of light that stimulates blood flow to your facial tissues.

Cold laser therapy features light wavelengths of 600 to 1000 nanometers. Lasers with this light level are best for reducing inflammation and increasing blood flow and healing to the desired tissues.

What to Expect at Your Appointment

When Dr. Christian suggests cold laser therapy, you don't have to worry. Our team gets you ready for your appointment, explains the procedure to you beforehand, and answers any questions you may have.

During the treatment, you sit in a comfortable chair, and you don't need to do anything special. Dr. Christian passes the cold laser therapy device over your face to target specific areas of pain, keeping the wand over certain areas for a few seconds. 

The light penetrates your skin and encourages cell regeneration and increased blood flow to target inflammation. You don't feel anything other than the wand on your skin during the procedure. Cold laser therapy is painless and doesn't cause vibrations or heat on your skin.

Afterward, you can resume all of your normal activities. You may feel relief after your first session, but Dr. Christian may recommend several cold laser therapy treatments for the most effective results.

When you're dealing with facial pain, Dr. Christian can help. Call our office today at (206) 770-0260 to schedule a consultation or request an appointment using our online booking tool. Dr. Christian provides telehealth consultations for your convenience as well.