Massage Therapy For TMJ

Massage therapy for TMJ can alleviate pain for the client.

Dysfunction of the TMJ or temporomandibular joint is an extremely painful condition in the jaw joints.

Pain is the number one complaint involving the jaw, teeth, ears and head. There may be clicking and popping in the joints and often it is difficult to open the mouth very wide.

More symptoms can include jaw muscle fatigue and the inability to chew gum, popcorn, nuts, or meat.

Conservative treatment is normally started with an appliance. If that does not help, surgery can be recommended by a dental specialist. Sometimes, the surgery has to be repeated as symptoms once again appear if the behavior causing the dysfunction is not corrected.

TMJ dysfunction starts with muscular imbalances on one or both sides of the lower jawbone or mandible or with distortions of mouth positioning, such as the teeth not lining up properly.

Sensitive areas called trigger points form on the muscles. This causes the jaws not to align properly and that throws off the bite. If upper and lower molars do not touch while sleeping, the jaw will move around trying to find proper alignment. The jaw does this by clenching or grinding which is called bruxism.

Bruxism causes trauma for some of the muscles--the masseters and the lateral and medial pterygoids. Then the temporalis muscles become inflamed and the jaws can sometimes be locked in place. Again, this is such a painful condition but relief is available through massage, provided the client will allow it. Treatment can be very painful but many clients experience a 50% drop in pain after the first massage treatment.

Massage therapy for TMJ is especially painful when the muscles are inflamed but after several massage treatments and with client education, the pain can be greatly reduced.

The client needs to be taught proper chewing methods, how to relax the jaws and how to strengthen the jaws with exercise. If muscular TMJ is not treated, it will progress into osseous or bone-involved TMJ, where the jaw joint erodes over time.

As mentioned earlier, night grinding can be stopped with a custom-made orthotic appliance worn at night. The client's dentist will usually have this made and it can cost about $400 and is normally not covered by most health insurance plans. Gum chewing, eating nuts and other hard-to-chew foods should be stopped as well.

The client can also be taught self-massage of the temporalis muscle to alleviate pain between treatments.

If the massage therapist has not done so, he or she should take a TMJ workshop as soon as one is available in his or her area. Massage therapy for TMJ would start by checking the temporalis muscle for trigger points and releasing those by ischemic compression--using fingers, apply pressure to trigger points to relieve the pain.

Cross-fiber friction on the masseter and the pterygoids will help. This can be done on the outside of the face or in the mouth with latex gloves.

If the client is experiencing pain in the lower jaw, work on the masseter muscles. Massage therapy for TMJ pain can work wonders for the client.

If the pain is an earache, work on the lateral pterygoids.

If the pain is a headache, work on the temporalis muscles.

Having the client bite down and open the mouth can help define where the muscles are located.

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