TMJ dysfunctions are caused by a number of things – arthritis, bad dental work, jaw injury, or prolonged clenching of the jaw or grinding of the teeth. The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) acts as a sliding hinge, connecting the jawbone to the skull. TMJ dysfunctions cause pain in the jaw joint, in the muscles that control jaw movement, and headaches. In most cases, TMJ pain can be managed without surgery. Both chiropractic treatment and massage therapy help with the discomfort associated with TMJ disorders.
A TMJ specific massage includes neck and shoulder work, facial acupressure, trigger point therapy, scalp and head work, and both inter-oral and external jaw work. A TMJ massage can be done on it’s own for 30 to 45 minutes or added onto a full body massage.
Tyler Laducer L.M.T., C.R. is a licensed massage therapist (LMT) and certified reflexologist (CR). He practices at Washington Park Chiropractic as the lead massage therapist and specializes in Sports massage, Medical massage, and Reflexology.