About My Aches: TMJ

What is it?

TMJ stands for the temporomandibular joint, which is the hinge that connects your jawbone to your skull. You have one on each side of your face, just in front of your ears. This joint allows you to chew, yawn, talk, and move your jaw up, down, and side to side.

What does it feel like?

TMJ dysfunction can show up in a variety of ways, including:

• A dull ache in the jaw, face, or around the ears

• Clicking or popping when you open your mouth

• Pain or tightness while chewing or talking

• Headaches, especially around the temples

• Neck and shoulder tension

• Difficulty opening the mouth wide

It can be constant or come and go, and many people don’t realize how much their jaw is involved in tension and stress until it starts acting up.

What causes it?

TMJ dysfunction (sometimes called TMD) happens when the joint or surrounding muscles become irritated, overworked, or misaligned. It can be caused by many things—stress, jaw clenching, teeth grinding (especially at night), poor posture, past injuries, or even dental work.

Can Massage help?

Massage therapy can help reduce the muscle tension that contributes to TMJ discomfort. I focus on the muscles involved in jaw movement as well as surrounding areas like the neck, shoulders, and upper back because everything is connected.

What can I do on my own?

Between massage sessions, a few things that can help reduce TMJ symptoms include using a warm pack on the side of your face can relax tight muscles, slow jaw-opening exercises or side-to-side movement (but skip anything forceful that feels like it is pulling too much). You can also work on managing stress to minimize the tension from clenching your jaw, and watch your posture since slouching can shift your head forward, creating tension that travels right to the jaw.