30 year old female returns to our office 1 year and 1 month after previous treatment she received for TMJ, Jaw pain, headaches and anxiety. All her symptoms were managed for almost a full year.

• Jaw tension- Worse in the mornings.  Tension level 3/10, worse on left side but bilateral. “Clicking” sensation when eating food.
• Temporal headaches – usually at least 1x/week.  Headaches came back 3 months after previous treatment course. Previous headache 6/11/2018. Worse with menses. Lateral headaches that radiate to top of the head. She also has headaches due to sinus congestion that is on her right side. Sometimes starts behind Right eye and radiates to temples.
• Low back pain has not bothered her since her last treatment. Tightness minimal, woke up 2 night ago because of tightness. 1/10.

   

  Anxiety improved from previous acupuncture but would like to work on this again. Chest tightness, hard to breathe, feels nervous easily. Steady since previous treatment. – has been managed.

  Patient complains of low energy and low motivation 6/10 all day. Battles with depression.
  Low libido, Fear, Depression
   

Dates of treatment:
8/28/19 – initial treatment, pain level 3/10
9/4 – less tension in jaw overall, still some “clicking” in the jaw. No headaches, feels less anxiety and back improved
9/9- Patient states left jaw feels much improved and now notices some clenching and tightness in the right side
9/16/19- overall “softer” feeling in the jaw. No more pain, just tightness in the mornings. Anxiety managed, back pain managed. No headaches.
9/30/19- Patient no longer feels jaw tension and tightness in the mornings! Slight clicking in the left jaw, but overall “softer”.  Low back pain is slight and managed. Anxiety is managed.
We will continue treatments 1x/week for another month and re-evaluate.

Written by: Zen Tuan, Licensed Balance Method Acupuncturist at Healing with Zen in Pasadena, California