TMJ Dysfunction and Headaches: Assessment and Treatment Strategies

Saturday, October 18, 2025, 8:00 AM - 12:15 PM, Premier Health Coffman YMCA


OPTA CEUs (4.00 hours)

In this course, physical therapists will have the opportunity to learn a variety of different assessment and treatment techniques for the Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ), cervical, and thoracic spine, and how to effectively treat chronic headaches. Many physical therapists lack the skills to treat TMJ dysfunction and headaches. In this course, two expert trained physical therapists will teach participants how to appropriately assess and treat these conditions.

The first half of the course will focus on the TMJ. The TMJ is essential for eating, breathing, talking, swallowing, etc and plays a vital function in our every day lives. It is often a joint with associated pain due to trauma and age-related changes. Physical therapy can play a vital role in restoring function and decreasing pain. In this course therapists will learn evaluation and treatment techniques to address both joint and muscle function.

Participants will learn techniques to measure jaw range of motion and quality of TMJ movement. They will assess C and S curves of the TMJ, lateral glides, protrusion, and whether patients have clicking associated with disc displacement of the TMJ.

Assessment and palpation of key muscles associated with TMJ dysfunction will be performed. Treatment of the TMJ will include how to assess and improve muscle tightness through myofascial release and manual therapy mobilizations. Other treatments discussed in the course include strain counter strain, kinesiotaping, ultrasound, and cold laser.

In the second half of the course, the focus will be on headache treatment. This portion of the course will better familiarize physical therapists with assessing and treating patients with chronic headaches. Headaches are often misdiagnosed due to the large amount of similarity in symptoms, and the goal of therapy is to work through any potential underlying mechanical contributions to the overall headache picture and progression.

Evidence-based research will be presented on how to effectively treat headaches with the use of manual therapy as recent research has shown superior outcomes in manual intervention compared to exercise alone. The intent of the treatment section of the course is to improve overall manual therapy skills and improve comfort performing mobilizations, specifically HVLAT (high velocity low amplitude thrust) manipulation to better benefit and help manage this patient population.

Participants will improve their skills by treating a difficult patient population through assessment and treatment of the TMJ dysfunction and headaches related to cervical spine dysfunction to help improve outcomes in their physical therapy patients.

1. Assess the function of the anterior neck muscles and their role with TMJ disorder.
2. Describe the role the occipital muscles play in TMJ disorders and the connection they play with vision disturbances with patients.
3. Assess the functional roll and spin mechanics of the TMJ.
4. Demonstrate mobilization techniques and describe exercises for physical therapy rehabilitation for TMJ dysfunction.
5. Interpret different classifications of headaches with specific differentiating factors of migraine and cervicogenic headache
6. Identify and assess red flags when treating the cervical spine
7. Understand and accurately assess gross mobility through the cervical spine
8. Select and perform appropriate manual therapy interventions including mobilization, muscle energy techniques, and manipulation for the cervical and upper thoracic spine

Participants must register via CloudCME. This educational event is being offered for $25 to Premier Health employees for 4 CEU hours for PT/PTAs. Registration space is limited to 30 participants and reservations must be received by October 17, 2025. 

This course is for physical therapists and physical therapist assistants only. Physical Therapy CEUs are pending for 4 hours through the OPTA.

Cancellation Policy

Cancellations must be emailed in writing to Qasim Rizvi at [email protected]. Cancellations prior to 2 weeks will be given full refund. Refunds within 2 weeks are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Premier Health-Wright State CME Alliance reserves the right to cancel or postpone this program if necessary; in the event of cancellation, course fees will be fully refunded. We are not responsible for other costs incurred such as non-refundable airline tickets or hotel penalties.

Accessibility Statement
 
Premier Health-Wright State CME Alliance is committed to ensuring that its programs, services, goods and facilities are accessible to individuals with disabilities as specified under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act of 2008.  If you have needs that require special accommodations, including dietary concerns, please contact the CME Conference Coordinator.

Mitigation of Relevant Financial Relationships

Premier Healthadheres to the ACCME’s Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CE activity, including faculty, planners, reviewers or others are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities (commercial interests). All relevant conflicts of interest have been mitigated prior to the commencement of the activity.

Saturday, October 18, 2025