3 Myths About Jaw Massage

When treating clients for TMJ Dysfunction (TMJD) I massage the jaw muscles on the outside of the face but also intra-orally, which is just a fancy way of saying inside the mouth. Some clients are hesitant to have this work done because of a few myths about this treatment. There are 3 main ones that come up on the regular.

1) It will hurt.

When working inside the mouth there may be some discomfort but it should never be painful. Most clients actually comment that it feels quite good. The techniques are gentle and when it comes to pressure, less is more.  I always communicate with my client about pressure and pain levels to ensure I am never working beyond what is comfortable. The client is  always in control of the treatment.

2) It’s like going to the dentist.

I get the fear here because for many, dental procedures can be a triggering event for a flare-up in jaw pain. However, unlike procedures that require you to maintain an open mouth position, this is not the case with the intra-oral massage. You will need to initially open your mouth to allow me access, but once I am inside, you can close your mouth and maintain a comfortable and relaxed position.

3) I don’t have jaw pain, so intra-oral massage isn’t for me.

Even if you don’t have jaw pain, treating the muscles inside your mouth still may beneficial for you. TMJD has several other symptoms that stem from tight and unbalanced jaw muscles like headaches, ear and tooth pain, to clicking and popping when you open your mouth.

If you would like to give intra-oral massage a try, or have more questions, get in touch 226-493-1502.