Why your jaw muscles could use some TLC
Believe it or not, one of the most common complaints I’m hearing from new clients these days is that they are experiencing discomfort in their jaw. They may simply be feeling some tension in the muscles or they may 
be dealing with multiple problems, such as soreness, clicking, or dental complications. Sometimes I’ll focus on relaxing the jaw muscles for clients that are suffering from neck pain or headaches and they’ll be shocked at how much it helps. They hadn’t even realized how tight these muscles were before their treatment. From then on, they’re hooked. The jaw becomes one of their favorite places to focus on in session, along with their back, neck, hips, or whatever else they usually favor. This is one area where I find that using both massage and craniosacral therapy benefits my clients, though it is the craniosacral techniques that really shine.
Sometimes people know without a doubt that they need bodywork to help relax their jaw muscles, but many of us don’t even realize how tense these muscles are. Here are some things to look for that benefit from this work:
- Clicking in the jaw joint (TMJ)
- Told by a doctor or dentist that you have a TMJ disorder
- Often clenching or grinding your teeth
- Sore or achy jaw muscles
- Wearing a night guard to keep from grinding at night
- Headaches (often caused by tight jaw muscles!)
- History of a broken jaw or other jaw injury
- Needing to get crowns
- Preparing for extensive dental work
- Recovering from extensive dental work
- Generally “tight” feeling in the jaw or face
Tension in the jaw muscles will often affect the neck, head, and shoulders, causing pain or discomfort in these areas. The jaw is one of the most common places in the body where people “hold stress” and people will often tell me that they catch themselves clenching or grinding their teeth when they’re experiencing a lot of pressure or stress. Sometimes it seems harmless, like they’re just tapping their teeth to a song in their head, but it is important to watch for these little clues. Jaw tension has a way of being particularly sneaky and not becoming obvious until our dentist prescribes a night guard or tells us we are going to need crowns.
Aside from saving ourselves an extra trip to the dentist, receiving massage and craniosacral therapies to relax our jaw muscles just feels good. Our entire face softens, a smile comes easier, and we feel lighter and more relaxed overall. We use these muscles constantly throughout the day – potentially more than any other muscle group in the body – but how often do we treat them to the special care that they deserve?
