A regular client of mine usually comes in with shoulder, neck and jaw pain. She especially feels chronic jaw tension which has been diagnosed as TMJ.  Unconsciously but relentlessly, she clenches and grinds her teeth and has chewed through two night guards.

She has been to dentists, orthodontists, acupuncturists, massage therapists, chiropractors, and naturopaths. It is a constant battle with the stress of a rigorous job for which she travels internationally, a marriage, an ill parent for whom she is the power of attorney, and she is trying to manage her own health. Fortunately, she does factor in her own health. For this, I am proud.

Whenever I see her for a session, I make sure to do intra-oral massage. She’s a great candidate because of the obvious clenching and grinding.

Many people clench and grind their teeth these days. It seems like an obvious place to beat up on ourselves actually. Remember, a tight muscle isn’t always strong-tight like after pumping iron; it is often weak-tight. With lack of fresh oxygenated blood and nutrients, a stagnant muscle gets glued down to surrounding structures. Picture a caterpillar larva embedded in its cocoon before breaking out with new wings.

Let me take you through the process of deep unwinding that happens with intra-oral massage.

The first step with doing intra-oral massage is to use latex gloves. I put them on and am very careful not to snap the glove on my wrist, to avoid conjuring images of other not so comfy healthcare workers!

I ease into the client’s mouth with one finger hooking the lip and gliding over the top teeth like I’ve caught myself the prettiest marlin in the sea. I land on the upper gum line and slowly surf deeper and superior at an angle toward the ear.

I check in with her: “How’s that pressure so far?”

She gives me a slight nod or a thumbs up or an eyebrow raise in curiosity to let me know it’s fair game.

The tissue often feels taut and angry up on the lateral pterygoids. This is a muscle that is chronically short and embedded by surrounding fascia. My job is to hook that fascia, stretch the whole thing out, bring blood to this area, and let that little butterfly of a muscle free!

So I do just this, slowly, confidently, with intention, imagining the potential of a free pterygoid and a nice slack jaw bone. I spend about 2 to 3 minutes on this one spot. The client breathes and breathes.

Then, we both feel the release! I slowly remove my finger and notice that side of her face looks rosier and more supple.  I smile at her and ask how she feels.

“That was great,” she says with a deep sigh. “I could really feel it was tight and could feel it up in my temples. It feels so much more open on this side already.”

“Good! Should we even out the other side?”

After the massage has ended and she’s dressed, she emerges from the massage room with a bright smile and fully flushed cheeks. “Thank you so much. I feel so much better.”

“Look in the mirror. You got yourself a pretty big smile going.”

“Wow, I do!” She traces the perimeters of her now prominent rosy cheekbones. “I feel like its easier to grin!”

I hand her a glass of water.

“Cheers to the cheapest facelift in town!”