Are you suffering from any of the following symptoms?
· Toothache
· Jaw pain
· Face pain
· Headaches/migraines
· Ear pain
· Clicking or popping in your jaw
· Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
· Jaw clenching & grinding
· Trismus (difficulty opening the mouth)
· Tight and tender neck, face, jaw & upper back muscles
· ‘Locked’ jaw.
If you’re struggling with any of the above, it may be because of your TMJ.
What is TMJ?
Many people suffer from TMJ (Temporomandibular joint) pain and corresponding symptoms but don’t always realise they can be treated.
The TMJ is a hinge joint connecting the jawbone (mandible) to the temporal bones and sits in front of the ear. It is involved in talking and chewing as it allows the jaw to move from side to side as well as up and down. Problems with the jaw muscles, a whiplash injury, blow to the jaw, grinding or clenching the teeth (as well as being a symptom), stress and poor posture can all be contributing factors for problems with the joint
Muscles of the Jaw
How can massage help TMJ?
Massage is a gentle and effective treatment for TMJ as it can help release the muscles around your upper back, neck, head and face, as well as inside your mouth, often with long term results.
Using trigger point work and soft tissue techniques, the muscles around the TMJ can be released to help relieve the pain and reduce symptoms and, if appropriate, I will give you self-help techniques that you can use on yourself to manage further pain.
What happens in a treatment?
After our initial consultation, I assess the jaw, standing behind you and checking points on your shoulders and face for tension and trigger points as well as symptoms like clicking and popping. I’ll ask you to open and close your jaw several times and feel specific points around the jaw and face as well as look at your jaw from the front to see your jaw movement and whether there is any obvious misalignment.
Although the symptoms are in your jaw, your posture may be relevant, and I will also look at your posture for any obvious issues that might be affecting your jaw. The massage includes the upper back, neck and shoulders – and sometimes the lower back if it appears relevant – so you will need to undress as for other types of massage and lay on the massage table in order for me to work on all these areas.
Where this massage differs from others is that when you lie supine (face up), after I have worked on your face and neck, I will put latex-free gloves on and work inside your mouth (intra-orally), to release tension in the internal muscles. This can sometimes be a little uncomfortable, but I never work outside your comfort zone, and I’ll work with you constantly to check we stay within that range.
After the massage
Most people notice a difference in their symptoms after the first massage, but because TMJ is often a chronic (long term) condition, you may need several appointments to make a real change and some clients need ongoing massage to ‘manage’ TMJ, depending on the cause and the symptoms. However, I have also had clients who have only needed one treatment!
If you’d like to book an appointment or to chat to me about TMJ, email me on: ali@pureblissmassage.co.uk or call and leave a message: 07791898650. I will get back to you within 24 hours.