There is one thing near your mouth that can be a real pain and just as hard to relieve.  The temporomandibular joint (or more commonly known as TMJ) is a hinge that connects the jaw to the bones of the skull at the front of the ear. It does some pretty important things like letting a person talk, chew, and yawn.

But many people have problems with this area of the jaw and the muscles in the face that control it. When this happens, it is called temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and it can cause a lot of pain. It happens as a result of the pressure put on this joint through constant grinding or clenching of the teeth, usually while sleeping or during stressful times. In other instances, there could be actual arthritis in this joint.

The many symptoms of the TMJ include:

• Pain or tenderness in the face, jaw joint area, neck and around the ears.
• Problems when trying to open the mouth wide.
• Clicking, or popping sounds in the jaw joint (even if this does not cause pain).
• A sudden uncomfortable bite like your teeth suddenly do not fit together.
• Ringing in the ears.

An effective treatment for TMJ relief is a concentrated massage technique primarily focused on the jaw, neck and head. It is designed for clients with jaw pain, TMD and those generally that grind their teeth at night or while under stress. This massage therapy is mainly done on the face and head. An additional option is the ability to release the jaw by the therapist working inside the mouth. This is a completely voluntary option which can be determined while in session. Please ask for Kim, Jenae or Jose at Maple Street and Laura, Laurie, Marelda or Zoe at North Avenue who are experts at this technique.