TMJ/Jaw Dysfunction

November 11, 2015

TMJ dysfunction is surprisingly common and most people don’t realize massage can help. If you clench or grind (and sometimes you don’t even realize you do), symptoms can creep up that include tension in your face, headaches, popping or clicking, tooth sensitivity and ear pain.

In the beginning stages, the symptoms can be managed easily on your own by doing some light self massage and trying to avoid the cause of the symptoms, such as grinding, clenching, leaning your head on your fist, sleeping on your back, etc. When you develop pain, lock jaw or any of the above symptoms, it may be time to seek help.

What you can do: Making sure your jaw is in the resting position can prevent clenching and align your jaw properly. In this position, your teeth are about 2mm apart with your tongue touching where your front top teeth meet the roof of your mouth. Self massage your jaw by bringing the heels of your hand to just below your cheekbone and drag down with comfortable pressure, or drawing slow circles down toward your jaw bone (mandible).

Seeking treatment: If your dentist recommends a mouth guard, ask them about one that also works to prevent the muscles from clenching and grinding.

A typical TMJ massage would be 45-60min to start and include back, neck and shoulders, as much of the tension is related, while also focusing about 10-20min on the jaw itself. If you’re comfortable, your RMT will use gloves to go inside the mouth to work on three small, specific muscles in approx. 10-15sec intervals to give your mouth a break. Though the muscles are often sensitive, results are typically much easier to achieve even in that small amount of time than, say, a longer back treatment, and is surprisingly relaxing.

Tags: Brit Hayes, Guelph, Massage, RMT, therapist, Therapy, TMJ, treatment

Categorized in: Massage