TMJ (Temporomandibular joint) Massage

Suffering from any of the following?

Unresolved Toothache | Face Pain | Visual Disturbances | Jaw Pain
Headaches | Migraines
Ear Pain | Clicking or Popping in your jaw?

.....These are amongst some of the symptoms of what is known as TMJ disorder. There are many ways to treat and relieve the pain you are feeling - we have found massage to be the most non intrusive and effective way for long-term results.

How Can Massage Help?

Massage can help heal and release the soft tissue (muscles), relieving the pain and reducing the symptoms caused by problems in and around the jaw joint, this is done by treating the trigger points around the jaw, neck and shoulders.

What is TMJ?

Profile mage of skull with ear canal and TMJ highlighted

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a hinge joint that connects your mandible (jaw bone) to the temporal bone of your skull, it is located in front of your ear.

The joint, along with it’s associated muscles allows us to move our jaw up and down and from side to side to talk, eat, yawn, laugh etc.

Problems with the joint and it’s muscles are known as TMD (Temporomandibula joint disorder) and can manifest as severe pain in the jaw itself or along the face, restricted jaw movements and noises such as clicking and popping from the TMJ during jaw movement.

Massage can help address the cause of TMJ disorders, whether the pain comes from a jaw injury, or simply fatigue from repeatedly grinding or clenching your teeth, regular massage therapy can make a difference.

More Symptoms:

  • Clicking, popping, or grating sounds in the jaw joint when you open or close your mouth or chew. This may or may not be painful.

  • Ringing of the ears (tinnitus)

  • Dizzy Spells

  • Earaches (without infection)

  • Headaches

  • Migraines

  • Difficulty swallowing

  • Difficulty speaking

  • Chronic pain or tenderness of the muscles around the ear, neck, face, upper back and shoulders

  • Worn teeth

  • Twitching of the face or eye muscles

  • Difficulty sleeping

  • Sensitivity to light and noise

  • Bruxism (teeth grinding)

  • Trismus (difficulty opening mouth normally

  • Jaws that get "stuck" or "locked" in the open- or closed-mouth position

  • Trouble chewing or a sudden uncomfortable bite -- as if the upper and lower teeth are not fitting together properly

What Happens During The Massage?

Following an assessment of your TMJ we will work on two areas:
The therapist will work on the muscles of your neck and upper shoulders and then assist you in treating the muscles around your jaw (these are known as the muscles of mastication). Everything is connected and the neck and jaw have a particularly close working relationship, so tension in your neck and shoulders will be referring tension up into your jaw.

After your first treatment you will feel a difference but due to the chronic nature of this condition, ongoing treatment is required for a minimum 6 weeks. This is based on our own clinical experience of treating clients with TMJ since 2014.