Massage Therapy by Nicole Davis LMT, NCTMB

Do you suffer from TMJ pain? If you experience pain while chewing, lock jaw, headaches, limited range of motion in your jaw, sore neck and shoulder muscles,  ringing in the ears, and swallowing difficulties you could be suffering from TMJ syndrome. What is the cause of TMJ? It could be an internal issue such as grinding of the teeth(Bruxism)and jaw clenching or tightening. These are habits that commonly cause pain in the jaw and face. Stress is often a factor in jaw grinding and clenching. Many people grind their teeth while asleep. Another cause of TMJ is impact to the jaw, such as falling on the concrete or getting hit in the chin. In these cases it is the pressure on the jaw that causes the TMJ pain. In other instances there may be Arthritis in the joint. TMJ stands for Temporomandibular Joint. Like all other joints, it is prone to undergo deterioration and aging.

Some of the key symptoms of TMJ can be mistook for ear aches due to ringing in the ears (Tinnitus) and hearing loss. Pain in the face and jaw often radiate to the neck and shoulders and it can cause spasms in the neck and shoulder muscles. Some people may not link these issues together but they often go hand in hand. TMJ pain can be felt in the joint, behind the ear, around the sinuses, in the skull, face, neck, and shoulders. TMJ syndrome can be recognized by the clicking and popping sounds it causes your jaw to make when moving it to eat, yawn, swallow, or speak. Clicking and popping could mean the disc is in an abnormal position. If there is no pain and just clicking and popping then treatment may not be necessary. TMJ sufferers who feel pain when opening the mouth may favor one side and open their mouths awkwardly to avoid irritating their bad side. This may cause your teeth to not come together correctly. Avoiding the pain causes lock jaw where you eventually feel you can not open your mouth all the way or properly. This is certainly no way to live!

Did you know massage therapy can treat TMJ syndrome safe and effectively? First, I can help you figure out if TMJ is what is causing your headaches, muscle aches, and jaw pain with a series of movements. Of course consulting a physician is the only way to get a true diagnosis. With massage of the head, face, neck, shoulders, and inner mouth muscles I can relieve trigger points that have formed from the pressure and tension of TMJ. Did you know that the body’s strongest muscle is your jaw muscle? It is called the Masseter muscle and it is the main culprit in TMJ pain.  The Masseter aids in chewing and it covers the sides of the jaw just behind the cheeks. It is the muscle that makes you clench and grind your teeth. The Masseter muscle is also the single most common place for trigger points. Release of these trigger points can help with TMJ. This muscle becomes very tight and causes headaches, TMJ, Tinnitus, earaches, toothaches, etc. Massage of this muscle is very important in conjunction with massage of the other surrounding TMJ muscles such as the head, face, and neck muscles.

Now that you know some important information on the Masseter muscle, how can it be massaged? The Masseter is located at the notch of your cheekbone and about 1 inch from your ear. It’s easy to find and my thumb and finger tip will fit nicely. With the use of gentle pressure tender spots can easily be found. These tender spots are trigger points and when found, I will hold them until the pain dissipates. I will also do circular motions inside the cheek and gums. I also stretch the cheek and have the client open and close their mouths slowly. I do all of this with powder free latex gloves on and I use client feedback and gentle pressure to assure optimum comfort. Even with gentle pressure most likely there will be soreness after an inner mouth massage. Ice on the jaw should help with soreness and once the soreness subsides a noticeable difference should occur. The range of motion in the jaw will improve and pain level will go down.
Self massage of the Masseter muscle is very important to do on a regular basis. Here are some simple instructions on how to massage the Masseter muscle yourself:
1. Go inside your mouth with your thumb, and finger on outside of cheek.

2. Find the tender spots, or trigger points, inside your cheek and hold until the pain dissipates.

3. Do circular motions with your thumb on your gums and inside the cheek.

4. Stretch the cheek.

5. Open and close mouth slowly about 15 times while holding Masseter muscle.

In addition to self massage of your face muscles exercises can be done to assist in TMJ syndrome relief. Listed below is a description of exercises for TMJ syndrome:
Before beginning the jaw exercises, put your tongue on the roof of your mouth, opening your mouth wide with your tongue in place, and breathing in slowly for two counts, and out slowly for two counts. Release and repeat 10 times.

1.Make a fist with your hand and place it directly under your chin. Press your fist toward your chin as you gently try to open your jaw. The isometric energy should relax the jaw bone (mandible). Hold for ten seconds. Release and repeat ten times. Try not to allow your jaw to click while performing this exercise.

2. Just below the notch in your jaw located below the ear, take your fist and press against the left side of your jaw. Push your jaw against your fist while maintaining a steady pressure. Hold for 10 seconds. Release 10 times and repeat on the opposite side. The isometric energy should relax the muscles in your jaw, such as the Masseter.

3. Using your index fingers on both sides of the jaw, press against your jaw. Use the same even pressure on both sides. Open the jaw very slowly. If your jaw clicks, release and start again, opening more slowly. The pressure on each side should allow your jaw to open and close in correct alignment.

4. Hold your chin between your thumb and pointer finger. Very carefully and loosely, shake your chin back and forth, allowing your jaw to relax and release. This exercise should not be done if it causes pain.

Repeat these exercises once a day or more often if necessary to align your jaw. The desired effect will be a looser, relaxed, and properly aligned jaw.

If you are looking for an experienced and skilled Denver Massage Therapist to help you with TMJ pain, you’ve found the place! Peace of Mind Therapeutic Massage and Wellness, LLC on South Pearl street in Denver near Washington Park, Cherry Creek, Capital Hill, and Englewood offers a relaxing environment to receive holistic TMJ syndrome treatment. I have personally suffered from TMJ and massage therapy helped me recover from it! If you are in Denver and think you may be suffering from TMJ syndrome please call me at 303-881-5533 to schedule a massage right away! If you are not experiencing TMJ pain yet but are suffering from stress which is a causer of TMJ, use massage therapy as a preventative measure! I specialize in Deep Tissue, Trigger Point Therapy, Neuromuscular Therapy, Sports Massage, Therapeutic Stretching, Serious Injury, Headache/Migraine, TMJ, Muscle Energy Testing, Prenatal Massage, Swedish/Relaxation, Hot Stone Therapy, Hydrotherapy, and On-Site Massage. If you are in Denver and looking for Massage and Bodywork, Peace of Mind Therapeutic Massage and Wellness is open 7 days a week!
Please visit my website to learn more:

http://www.nicoledavislmt.com

Nicole Davis, LMT, NCTMB
Licensed and Nationally Certified Massage Therapist
303-881-5533
NicoleL_M_T@hotmail.com

http://www.nicoledavislmt.com

This entry was posted on Monday, November 30th, 2009 at 1:21 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.