What is the TMJ?
The temporomandibular joint, aka the jaw joint, is a locus of tension for many people. Persistent clenching and grinding while awake and/or asleep, can lead to mild or debilitating pain, affecting chewing, talking, sleeping and overall well-being. A TMJ session focuses work on the four sets of muscles connected to the TMJ via external and intra-oral palpation.
What is intra-oral palpation?
Some muscles of the TMJ can only be accessed intra-orally. The practitioner puts on a glove and palpates these important muscles inside the mouth. The recipient is able to communicate any discomfort by raising their hand. For most people these muscles have never been palpated and the relief can be immediate.
What else happens in a TMJ session?
Targeted palpation at the epicenter of tension can provide significant relief, but if the surrounding musculature is not also addressed, the benefits will be short lived….the various parts of the body do not exist in isolation. For someone with TMJ dysfunction, the tension patterns likely include throat, neck and head muscles. To address just the TMJ muscles would provide benefit, but not nearly the benefits of also addressing these other muscle groups. Furthermore, addressing other tension patterns in the body, usually in the shoulder/scapula muscles, leads to holistic relief, from which benefits will be longer lasting.