(Dys)Functional Friday
Welcome to our (Dys)Functional Friday blog post! We have been talking about TMJ disorders for a couple of weeks now but exercising and massaging the muscles on the outside of the jaw may not always release tension in the face and jaw. I know it may sound gross but massaging the tissues inside your mouth is also beneficial to relieving chronic pain in this area. It is even more important at this point in our lives since seeing massage therapists, such as cranial sacral massage therapists who could potentially help us along the way to a pain free jaw and surrounding areas, is so hard to do with all the lockdowns and the pandemic control procedures. If you are experiencing pain and cannot see a doctor or are reluctant to go out, I have some reference material to help reduce the pain you’re experiencing or maintain it so it the pain does not worsen.
I have found an easy-to-follow video explaining intraoral self-massage and the anatomical terms that are associated with tension in the jaw.
Here is another explanation that includes a demonstration of an exterior temporomandibular massage and an intraoral massage which is helpful to execute the massage techniques correctly.
Even if you are not experiencing pain in these areas, it is always fun to explore new techniques for self-care and discover areas of tension you never knew were there! Thank you for following me down this rabbit hole of information about the temporal mandibular joint. Enjoy the benefits and we will meet you here next week to explore another dysfunction in the body!
Namaste!
Amber Green
Owner/Founder
Querencia
