Intraoral Massage for
TMJ Pain

Intraoral Massage Mitigates & Alleviates TMJ & Jaw Tightness, Tension & Trauma  

Have you heard about intraoral massage and/or craniosacral therapy to mitigate and even alleviate TMJ dysfunction, other jaw pain and related issues in the head, neck, eyes and shoulders?  

Are you experiencing jaw pain that’s interfering with your daily life, making it hard to relax, sleep and even eat? Maybe it’s a dull ache, a lot of tightness and tension, or both. Are you hearing clicking or popping sounds or suspect or know that you’re clenching or grinding your teeth?  

You may also be experiencing sinus pressure, fatigue, cluster headaches, migraines or other head, eye or neck pain, which is not uncommon when dealing with TMJ dysfunction and other jaw-related issues. Your jaw tension may be exacerbating other physical issues and/or be creating stress and anxiety, which often creates even more jaw pain and what can feel like a never ending cycle of worsening tightness and tension.

Perhaps you’re taking a lot of ibuprofen or heavier pain killers, considering braces or even oral surgery; however, you want a less invasive and more holistic and sustainable alternative to healing the root cause of your pain. 

If so, intraoral massage with a craniosacral therapy blend can help—a lot. And, if you follow the protocol I’ve developed over many years in advanced practice, you can keep chronic jaw pain at bay.  As a highly skilled massage therapist and body worker and as someone who once struggled with debilitating TMJ dysfunction, I know both personally and professionally how effective this form of intraoral massage can be. 

Understanding TMJ Disorders 

TMJ stands for temporomandibular joint and temporomandibular disorder (TMD) creates pain, tension and tightness of the jaw joint and the surrounding muscles and ligaments. The temporomandibular joint, which has a complex motion that combines a hinge action with sliding motions, connects your lower jaw to your skull in front of each ear. It’s used when you talk, eat, swallow, make facial expressions and even kiss! 

Causes of TMD and other forms of jaw issues include injuries, teeth grinding, arthritis, everyday wear-and tear, and, talked about less often, trauma. As humans, we often hold emotional trauma in this area, which can lead to chronic pain over time, if left unaddressed. 

TMJ dysfunction often causes severe pain and discomfort. It may be short-term or become chronic, and can affect one or both sides of the face. Aside from the jaw joints, it can also cause tightness, tension, tenderness and pain in the face, neck, eyes, ears and shoulders. As well as toothaches, headaches, migraines, hearing problems (ringing in ears), trouble chewing, dizziness and tingling or numbness in the fingers. Some people also experience jaws that get stuck or locked in the open or closed mouth position. 

Personal History With TMJ Dysfunction  

When I was in high school—many years before I became a massage therapist and bodyworker—I sustained a spinal injury that led to my jaw sitting improperly in my face. I was a singer at the time, and started to experience severe TMJ dysfunction—to the point that I’d be in performances and my jaw would lock open in the middle of a concert, forcing me to have to crack my own jaw to get it to release. I tried braces, which didn’t help and even made it worse. The next option was surgery, which would have entailed plates and jaws in my face. This wasn’t an option for me. 

I consulted with an osteopath and learned that it wasn't my bite that was causing the problems, but rather muscular and spinal misalignment that was creating the TMJ dysfunction. This is when I first learned about intraoral massage and craniosacral therapy—two of my passions in helping people today—and the importance of identifying and addressing the root cause of pain, rather than just looking at the symptoms. Within weeks, the popping and clicking was gone. Within three months, the pain had subsided significantly. And, within six months, I was pain-free and only seeing the osteopath for maintenance. Today, I occasionally see trusted colleagues to work on this area so that I continue to experience no pain, popping, clicking, tension or tightness in the area. 

The Intraoral Massage Protocol

Having gone through my own experience with severe TMJ dysfunction, advanced training in intraoral massage and craniosacral therapy and other forms of holistic bodywork, and over many years of working with people with jaw pain and related issues, I have developed a comprehensive and highly effective intraoral massage and craniosacral therapy protocol that, if followed correctly, will significantly decrease your pain, if not completely alleviate it. 

In our initial session, we’ll discuss your medical history, including any injuries, traumas and stressors going back to childhood. I’ll ask about specific pain points and things you’ve noticed that cause pain, trigger pain and anything that you’re doing or have done that have helped with the pain. Essentially, what I’m looking for is an overall picture of your jaw experience. I’ll then physically assess the track of your jaw and your palette, identifying misalignment and where the tension is residing. I’ll also assess the muscular structure of surrounding areas, such as the head, scalp, neck, shoulders and temples. 

Following the assessment, we’ll begin our work. All intraoral and TMJ massage sessions follow this similar protocol; however, our bodies are always shifting and changing. I believe in working with what is present in the moment, listening to your needs and intuitively following those of your body’s, so sessions may be adjusted as needed. 

The Massage 

In most intraoral massage sessions, you’ll begin face-down on the table so I can begin work on your back, shoulders and neck first to relieve tension in the upper spine and shoulders, where a lot of tension lives in someone who often clenches their jaw or grinds their teeth. The idea is to first address the physical bone structures and then the fascia and membranes to loosen the soft tissues. 

I’ll then have you flip face-up and will work on the head, outer jaw, neck and shoulders, targeting specific muscles and fascia. Once the area is loosened, I’ll begin craniosacral therapy. Craniosacral therapy is a highly effective, noninvasive approach that uses gentle touch on the head, neck and back to relieve compression in the bones of the head, sacrum and spinal column, and helps to normalize the flow of cerebrospinal fluid in the central nervous system. I’ll intuit what your body needs while addressing the spinal fluid from the brain through the tailbone, releasing tension in the membranes and increasing mobility in the bones of the skull, neck and spine. 

Once the craniosacral is complete and your body and nervous system relaxed, we’ll begin the intraoral massage section. With gloves on, I’ll work the muscles inside the mouth and jaw that cannot be reached externally. Note that this can be uncomfortable and even painful, especially in initial sessions and contingent on how tight the muscles in your jar have become. This pain does subside over time, and clients say over and over again how much relief they experience after each session. The purpose of this is to relieve tightness and tension as I gradually manipulate the palette so it is positioned properly while relaxing the surrounding soft tissues inside the mouth. 

Following the intraoral massage, we’ll finish with a bit more craniosacral to ensure that you’re balanced. I’ll then do a flush of the full body—a light and gentle massage to calm the nervous system—ending with the feet to help you leave feeling relieved, relaxed, balanced and grounded. 

The Details  

All intraoral/craniosacral massage therapy sessions are 75-90 minutes, and I highly suggest that you begin with two sessions a week to begin to disrupt the tension patterns that are causing you so much pain. It took a lot to get you to this point of pain, and, in full transparency, it will take some time to get you out of this pain. But, it can be done! 

When intraoral massage with a highly trained and experienced massage therapist is done properly, progress happens quickly, and within a month, you should experience significant pain relief and a noticeable decrease in any popping or clicking. And, within 3-6 months, you should be living with little to no pain. We’ll assess regularly, weaning down the treatments as progress is made, with the primary goal of eventually having you just come in for maintenance and/or when stress arises, which often exacerbates the condition. I’ll also provide you with simple self-care exercises and techniques that you can use if you experience flare-ups between sessions and for long-term personal wellness care.  

Every person is different, and together we’ll figure out the treatment regimen that works best for you. I also offer packages for this treatment, which we can discuss during your initial assessment. 

Let’s Connect!  

I am passionate about helping people experience and sustain relief, especially when it comes to TMJ and other jaw-related pain and dysfunction given my personal experience. And, given my experience, I fully and firmly believe that this approach to TMJ dysfunction treatment is the least invasive, while also being the most effective. With proper TMJ dysfunction therapy and following the protocol, it is possible for you to experience both immediate relief and sustainable health and healing. 

Please feel free to contact me today to book a session. You can email or reach me by phone. I’m also very happy to discuss your particular needs and personal wellness goals and answer any questions you have about intraoral massage, craniosacral therapy, other energy and bodywork that I offer, and my practice.