A TMJ massage is used to treat inflammation and soreness in the temporomandibular joint, a joint that connects the lower jawbone to the rest of the skull. You use this joint for many daily activities, including chewing, talking and yawning. This is why TMJ disorders can be so debilitating. It’s hard to have an active, social lifestyle when you can’t eat, drink or talk without pain!
Thankfully, we know more about TMJ disorders than ever before, as well as effective, non-invasive ways to treat them. Whether your TMJ disorder was caused by an injury, stress, teeth grinding or something else, a TMJ massage can relieve your symptoms – perhaps for good.
What is a TMJ Massage? How Does it Work?
Medical Massage by Samantha offers safe, effective massages that reduce pain and inflammation in the temporomandibular joint and surrounding muscles. Our goals are to ease discomfort, improve quality of life and perhaps even address the underlying cause for the pain, such as teeth clenching due to stress.
Here are some of the ways that massage therapy can help with TMJ:
- Relax muscle tissue
- Decrease nerve compression
- Improve range of motion
- Increase circulation
- Remove waste products
- Reduce inflammation
- Induce a relaxation response
What Symptoms Does a TMJ Massage Treat?
A TMJ massage focuses on the temporomandibular joint and nearby tissues. During a TMJ medical massage, the goal is to work the muscles and improve blood flow to reduce:
- Jaw pain and tenderness
- Headaches and facial pain
- Earaches
- Ringing in the ears
- Difficulty opening or closing the mouth
- Muscle knots (hyper-tensed muscles)
What Muscles are Targeted?
Several different muscles play an important role in chewing, talking and yawning. However, it’s possible to overuse them. And some habits (like teeth clenching or grinding) are especially difficult to break because you do them while you sleep.
Here are the muscles that we focus on during TMJ massages:
- Zygoma muscle. This muscle controls facial expression and draws the mouth’s angle upward or downward.
- Temporal muscle. The temporal muscle is a broad, fan-shaped muscle on each side of the head that moves the mandible or lower jaw.
- Masseter muscle. This muscle connects the mandible (lower jaw) and the cheekbone. It’s largely responsible for chewing solid foods.
What Does a TMJ Medical Massage Feel Like?
When receiving a TMJ massage in Los Angeles, you can expect a highly professional and relaxing experience. The first step is to understand the type of pain you are having, the things that make it better or worse and how it is affecting your day-to-day life. Samantha will then create a personalized treatment plan that addresses your unique needs.
During your visit, Samantha will mend and remove the knots that are causing jaw aches and pains. She has a firm understanding of the TMJ muscle system and which areas require the most attention. Once the muscles are relaxed and pressure is applied to the appropriate trigger points, it’s possible to loosen the muscle fibers and deliver relief.
How Many Massages Do I Need to Feel Better?
Each person is unique, so it’s difficult to say how many massages will keep your symptoms at bay. When you schedule a consultation with us, we’ll discuss your individual symptoms and how many massages will provide you with relief. But, we’ll also need to see how you respond to the massage. Some people find that one massage offers relief for several months, while others need them more often.
The benefit to working with Medical Massage by Samantha is that we believe in holistic healing. Rather than using one form of treatment, we’ll develop a healthy regimen that manages your symptoms. Our Beverly Hills TMJ massage therapist may recommend things like hot/cold therapy, anti-inflammatory medications, acupuncture and dietary changes.
Certain exercises are also a great way to manage your symptoms, as they keep the muscles smooth and relaxed. We recommend doing exercises like the chin tuck after your massage to keep the muscles supple. This can also stretch the time between massages.
Schedule an Appointment for a TMJ Massage in Los Angeles CA & Beverly Hills
If you are suffering from debilitating TMJ pain, schedule an appointment with Medical Massage by Samantha. We look forward to speaking with you and getting you on a treatment plan that addresses your unique symptoms and improves your quality of life. Click or tap the button below or you can use the contact form to make an appointment.