How Massage Therapy Can Help Relieve TMJ Pain

Have you ever experienced "lockjaw" or pain radiating from the jaw to your head?

Chances are, you are likely dealing with TMJ pain. TMJ is medical shorthand for the temporomandibular joints, which connect the lower jaw to the skull. 

The joints can become weak, spastic, or damaged for different reasons, culminating in temporomandibular joint disorders. TMJ pain is a common symptom of these disorders. 

Massage therapy for TMJ pain is one of the best ways to manage the disorder and improve your quality of life.

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Causes of TMJ Pain

There is no single underlying cause of TMJ pain, which is why it's essential to create awareness regarding the condition. According to some estimates, over 30 million Americans, or 12% of the population, have TMJ dysfunction, ranging from mild pain to severe jaw dysfunction. 

Common triggers for TMJ pain include:

• Arthritis
• Bruxism
• Teeth grinding and clenching
• Trauma and jaw injuries
• Dislocation of the joint
• Stress

Massage Therapy for TMJ Pain

Massage therapy is one of the best ways to target painful TMJ joints. It helps relieve stress on the trigger points to ease TMJ pain and other symptoms.

Moreover, massage therapy for TMJ pain also addresses the condition's underlying causes, such as jaw injuries, trauma, and arthritis.

Let's look at how two different types of massage therapies can help relieve TMJ pain.

1. Kneading Massage 

Kneading massage therapy focuses on the affected area using fingers in gentle circular motions.

The circular motion is excellent for improving lymph and blood flow in the masseter muscles in the lower jaw. Improved blood circulation warms up the joint and muscle groups.

This also helps remove irritants and waste material, which causes immediate relief in many cases of mild TMJ pain.

2. Trigger Point Massage

Trigger points are muscle knots that cause severe jaw pain and discomfort.

TMJ pain is commonly associated with pain in the masseter muscles in the jaw. The muscle set is used during chewing and clenching. Therefore, it is common to damage the muscles and cause them to strain or inflame.

A trigger point massage targets the trigger points in TMJ pain and helps heal the masseter muscle. It will help reduce muscle stiffness in and around the joint and help relieve pain.

Exerting the correct amount of pressure and using friction to warm up the jaw helped restore muscle tone and balance. Pressure is also suitable for relieving stress, which drastically improves pain-related symptoms. 

Trigger point massage therapy is excellent for managing TMJ pain since affected individuals have many trigger points in their neck and jaw muscles.

A good massage therapist helps release tension in the muscle knots to relieve several symptoms ranging from toothaches, "clicking" jaw, severe tension headaches, and tinnitus. 

Conclusion

Contact Gentle Therapies for our specialty massage services. We're one of the best massage therapy service providers and offer our clients TMJ and Carpal Tunnel Relief sessions.

Visit our website or call us at (920) 261- 6970 to book a session. Our certified massage therapist will take care of your painful jaw in no time!