I've had many people come in to me with jaw issues. Some being diagnosed with TMJ syndrome, others grind their teeth at night. Still others have problems with tension and pain in the jaw referred from other areas – the back of the skull or the lateral/anterior neck. What’s common in all these cases is that the jaw muscles and the muscles around the mouth become tense and tight over time.
While self-massage of the jaw is an excellent option to treat these issues (see video below about acupressure points for TMJ)
Another way to relieve tension in the face and jaw is to use this relaxation technique:
Place your fingers at different points on the jaw and face, and take a deep breath. As you inhale and exhale become aware of all the tension stored underneath your fingers and let it drain out from under your touch as you exhale.
A very important component to this technique is keeping the tongue relaxed in the mouth. Think about where you tongue is in your mouth right this moment. Glued to the roof of your mouth? Now relax the tongue and pull it away from the top of your mouth. Now, touch just the tip of your tongue to just behind your front teeth and let it rest softly there.
Did if feel like your face melted a bit? Now, while that’s relaxed, take a few moments to try this technique to relearn what “relaxed” feels like to your jaw, mouth and face.
Do this everyday and you should see a difference in no time!
(credit to Heather Wibbles, LMT)
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