Services and Specialties
Services and Specialties
Temporomandibular Joint Disfunction
(also known as TMJ):
When you open and close your mouth, do the movements on both sides feel even, or does your jaw veer off to one side or the other?
Many factors contribute to what was once called “lockjaw,” a disorder of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) that causes Jaw pain or tenderness, often while chewing, headache or facial pain, earache or ringing in the ears and difficulty opening or closing the mouth (hence the term, “lockjaw”)
You have two TMJs (temporomandibular joints) — one on each side of your face, just in front of your ears. Your TMJs connect your lower jawbone to your skull and help with movements like chewing and speaking.
Your temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the joint between your jawbone and your skull, and you can find it directly in front of your ear, by feeling around where your cheek and your ear meet while opening and closing your jaw. The joint can be pulled out of alignment by stress, posture, or habits of movement. Tight jaw muscles can cause headaches, earaches, jaw or even tooth pain, as well as difficulty chewing or biting, popping or clicking sounds and difficulty opening or closing the mouth. Over time, the joints can degrade and the problem can get worse. TMJ Disfunction is so common that a lot of people say things like "I have TMJ" as shorthand for the discomfort they feel in their head and jaw.
Between 5% and 12% of the general adult population have some form of TMJ disorder. The condition is twice as common in women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB) than in men and people assigned male at birth (AMAB). People between the ages of 20 and 40 are most likely to develop TMD.
Symptoms
TMJ symptoms vary widely and may include:
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Facial pain.
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Shoulder or neck pain.
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Stiffness in your jaw.
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Difficulty opening or closing your mouth.
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Jaw popping or clicking.
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Tinnitus (ringing in your ears).
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A change in the way your teeth fit together (malocclusion).
What is the main cause of TMJ dysfunction?
There’s no singular cause of TMD. Rather, it can be a result of many different factors or a combination of factors.
TMJ causes may include:
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Jaw injury (like a broken or dislocated jaw).
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Teeth grinding or clenching (bruxism).
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Arthritis in your jaw joint.
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Malocclusion (when your teeth don’t fit together exactly as they should).
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Stress.
Things that make TMJ dysfunction worse
You can’t always control factors that cause TMJ dysfunction. But certain habits can make TMD worse, including:
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Using your teeth as tools (like tearing off clothing tags).
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Poor posture. (This can place excess pressure on your neck, shoulder and facial muscles.)
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Chewing on pens, pencils or other items (a common “nervous habit” behavior).
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Chewing on ice or excessively chewing gum.
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Taking big bites of food. (This can overwork your jaw muscles.)
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Daytime teeth clenching or grinding.
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Sleeping on your stomach.
How Massage Can Help With TMJ
Massage for TMJD starts with superficial face massage and some relaxing work on the upper shoulders and neck. Often, tight jaw muscles and tight neck muscles go together, so I usually end up working these two areas in tandem. As the neck starts to relax, we move to working on the outer jaw muscles on the face. As they start to lengthen and loosen, we can move onto working the deep muscles of the jaw.
The combination of slow pressure and your active movement keeps you in control of the intensity and allows for the best possibility of integration for long-term change. Most people experience lasting change from one massage, but to change a long-term pattern of holding may take a series of treatments.
At this point, the most effective work involves me putting on a disposable glove and doing massage inside your mouth while you assist by moving your jaw. This work is intense, will hold your attention, and for some people, can release armored emotion. But if your jaw is tight and misaligned, it will be a huge relief. The technique that I use employs slow, melty, relatively steady pressure.
