- How long have you suffered tension headaches and jaw pain?
- Do you experience pain in the side face area?
- Do headaches come from tension in a shoulder?
- Do you grind or clench your teeth at night?
The questions are part of the consultation during a session of Integrative Neuromuscular Therapy. These questions help the therapist to understand the clients who have been diagnosed or have symptoms of Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD). As part of the Neuromuscular treatment, self-applied massage, by the patient, helps with the symptoms and relieve the tension in the mandibular area.
The pain in the mandibular area is not enough to diagnose. Clenching and grinding the teeth are part of the signs, but they are not the whole panorama. Some symptoms of TMD are pain irradiating to the ear area (including the earlobe), toothaches, scalp tension or lateral neck pain. This disorder is associated with the destruction of the joint structure, inadequate jaw relationship due to loss of teeth, emotional disturbances, muscle spasm, and fatigue.
The mandibular muscles in the jaw play a significant part in the chewing process. But dysfunctional muscle contraction during mastication creates spasm and trigger points that increase the nightmare of having TMD. A postural assessment is always recommended when there is myofascial pain, muscle tension or trigger points of the upper part of the body. It is because studies show that 70% of patients with symptoms of TMD complained of recurring headaches.
- Is massage therapy good for relieving jaw pain?
- Yes, it is.
The relaxing massage helps, but I recommend those massage therapies with advanced medical-oriented techniques. I like Orthopedic Massage, Trigger point therapy, Myofascial Release, or Neuromuscular Massage. All of them use soft tissue manipulation to relieve or eliminate clinical symptoms and disease.
As an Integrative Neuromuscular Therapist who works with postural dysfunction patterns, I always work on the muscles that create a forward head posture. I believe the forward head position creates extra tension on the jaw joints; in addition, it may active trigger points in the muscles of the neck. In these cases, self-stretching treatment is always recommended for patients with TMJ pain. The video shows two physical therapists teaching how to stretch the mandibular muscles. You can consult me about it. Watch and Enjoy it!
You can consult me by addressing an email to me. Also, I provide an Initial Consultation, Assessment, and Neuromuscular Treatment service that lasts up to 90 minutes. Hopefully, this newsletter brings you new information, recommendations about how to address the jaw pain and headaches.