KBella Massage

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD/TMJ) primarily affect the muscles of mastication (chewing) as well as supporting muscles in the neck and upper back.

Primary Jaw Muscles (Muscles of Mastication)
•Masseter: The large, strong muscle on the side of the jaw that contracts when you bite, chew, or clench your teeth.
• Temporalis: The fan-shaped muscle along the temple that helps elevate and retract the jaw.
• Lateral Pterygoid: A deeper muscle that controls jaw protraction (moving the lower jaw forward) and side-to-side (lateral) deviation.
• Medial Pterygoid: A deeper muscle that works with the masseter to elevate and protract the jaw, often harboring deep tension.

Secondary and Supporting Muscles
•Sternocleidomastoid (SCM): A prominent neck muscle that can develop trigger points and refer pain to the cheek, eye, and ear.
• Suprahyoid and Infrahyoid Muscles: The strap muscles of the neck that help depress (lower) the mandible and coordinate swallowing.
• Upper Trapezius and Sub-occipital Muscles: Upper back and base-of-skull muscles that often strain and tighten due to compensatory changes in head and neck posture

Did you know that TMJ dysfunction can affect more than just your jaw?

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) sits right in front of the ear. This joint is highly affected by the muscles of the face, head, and neck. When that joint or the surrounding muscles become irritated, tight, or overworked ~ the symptoms can show up in places you might not expect.

TMJ dysfunction may contribute to symptoms like:

• Headaches or temple pain/tension
• Ear pressure, fullness, or aching
• Ringing in the ears
• Jaw clicking or popping
• Facial pain or tightness
• Pain with chewing or yawning
• Neck and shoulder tension
• Limited or uncomfortable jaw opening
• Jaw fatigue
• Soreness from clenching or grinding
• Lock jaw (in severe cases)

One of the most common causes is chronic tension in the muscles surrounding the jaw. Stress, teeth clenching, grinding, posture, repetitive chewing, dental work, injury, and muscular imbalances can all play a role in developing a dysfunction

If you're suffering from any of these symptoms, fear not! Massage is a great way to help. Massage can help by releasing tight muscles surrounding the TMJ; thus improving mobility, reducing trigger points, and decreasing tension through the jaw, face, head, and neck.

I do compression on my entire body and my clients get compression with every massage!

Firmly pressing down on shin bones for just a few minutes every day drastically improved movement and cognition in mice and pigs one week after they had a traumatic brain injury. The intervention stimulates bone cells that are sensitive to physical force, causing them to release substances that promote good brain health.

“This is big news to me, as it reveals a previously underappreciated bone-brain communication system, and could potentially lead to new therapeutic approaches in the future,” says Kristian Franze at the Max Planck Center for Physics and Medicine in Germany, who wasn’t involved in the work.

Read more: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2591964-compressing-bones-releases-molecules-that-ease-traumatic-brain-injuries/

Image: JOSE CALVO/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY