TMJ / CMD Treatment in Frankfurt City Centre

Physiotherapy for the jaw joint, chewing muscles and symptoms related to chewing

CMD (craniomandibular dysfunction) describes problems affecting the jaw joint, chewing muscles and jaw function. Symptoms can also present as headaches, neck pain or facial discomfort.
At VITALITY – Practice for Physiotherapy and Training in Frankfurt city centre, we treat CMD with physiotherapy—focusing on function, reducing strain and practical strategies for everyday life.

What is CMD?

CMD is an umbrella term for functional disorders of the chewing system. Often, muscle tension, joint mechanics, stress-related clenching/grinding and unhelpful movement patterns interact. The goal of physiotherapy is to improve function, reduce pain and make the system more resilient again.

Typical components of CMD physiotherapy (depending on findings):

• Assessment of jaw mobility, chewing muscles and function
• Treatment of the chewing muscles and related structures (e.g. neck/upper cervical spine)
• Jaw joint mobilisation/techniques (when indicated)
• Guidance on exercises and unloading strategies (e.g. for clenching/grinding)
• Posture and movement approaches when relevant

When is CMD treatment helpful?

Physiotherapy for CMD can often help with:

• Jaw pain and chewing muscle tension (e.g. pressure/tightness in the jaw area)
• Jaw clicking or restricted mouth opening
• Teeth grinding or clenching (bruxism), often stress-related
• Head, facial or neck symptoms that may be linked to the jaw system
• Discomfort when chewing, speaking or holding the mouth open for longer periods (e.g. at the dentist)

Important: CMD is often multifactorial. During the assessment, we clarify which factors matter in your case and which measures are most appropriate.

What a CMD session looks like at our clinic

We begin by assessing your findings and goals: jaw movement, muscle tension, pain behaviour and relevant everyday factors (e.g. stress/clenching). We then treat the involved structures in a targeted way—often within Manual Therapy (MT)—and teach suitable exercises and unloading strategies. Heat applications can be a helpful add-on depending on your findings.
Over time, we adapt the treatment so you gradually gain more mobility, control and symptom reduction.

Prescription, session length & appointments

For physiotherapy CMD treatment, you usually need a dentist’s prescription for Manual Therapy (MT). Depending on your symptoms, heat therapy (e.g. warm packs) can be a useful add-on to reduce muscle tension and support treatment—this can also be prescribed by your doctor.

We usually schedule 40-minute appointments, because effective therapy needs enough time—not only for treatment, but also for history-taking, a brief reassessment, goal alignment and clear instruction. This leaves enough room to work therapeutically with focus.

Overall treatment duration depends, among other things, on the number of sessions prescribed and the goals we pursue together.

FAQ – CMD / TMJ (Physiotherapy)

What does CMD mean exactly?

CMD stands for craniomandibular dysfunction and describes functional problems of the jaw joint and chewing muscles that can also influence head or neck symptoms.

Can physiotherapy help with teeth grinding (bruxism)?

Physiotherapy can help reduce tension, improve movement patterns and teach unloading strategies. However, CMD/bruxism is often multifactorial—so we also consider triggers such as stress and habits.

Is CMD only a jaw problem?

Not necessarily. Often several areas interact (jaw, neck, posture, stress/clenching). We treat what is actually relevant based on your assessment.

Do I need a prescription—and which one?

Usually a prescription for Manual Therapy (MT). Depending on your findings, heat therapy can be useful and can be prescribed as an add-on.

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VITALITY – Practice for Physiotherapy and Training
Schillerstraße 30–40, 60313 Frankfurt am Main
Tel. +49 69 15343443
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