What are TMJ Disorder Symptoms and How to Solve it?
TMJ stands for temporomandibular joint which is mostly a daily symptom causing soreness, headaches, and a whole lot of teeth-grinding that will lead to jaw-clenching
TMJ may be a painful movement of the jaw where the joint may click when opened and shut at the same time
For those who are getting TMJ syndrome, they may feel stress, which results in clenching of the jaw and tooth grinding aka bruxism, congenital malalignment of the teeth or jaw, or extensive dental work in which those who get those symptoms will be accompanied by tinnitus.
In the past, the medical treatment for TMJ might need surgery and implants which could be said a more conservative approach
But, now the treatment for TMJ needs safe medical treatment with no side effects such as medication, dental splints, behavioural and physical therapy.
And, you may get your large jaw muscles simply by eating, talking and emoting in your routine.
For all of us having jaw pain, teeth grinding, and teeth clenching can be said normal parts that we may often experience in this modern living
TemporoMandibular Joint also known as TMJ is the point of this joint is to help us move and open our mouths.
Structurally, the location is in very close proximity to the first vertebrae of your neck which may trigger a tension in one and the other.
When you get this kind of discomfort, analyze the most immediate muscle of the jaw called the masseter and feel this muscle if you place your hand below your cheekbone.
For this generation, they may usually get more sleep deprived, insecure, and stressed than their predecessors.
Besides, if you sit on the computer for a few hours daily, you will get higher anxiety, more stress which can lead to Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction, or also known as TMJ, TMJD, or TMD.
If you are undergoing these symptoms such as popping, clicking, headaches, joint locking, muscle spasms, and pain when chewing or speaking, you may have TMJ at that moment.
Later on, TMJ can cause tooth breakage, infections, chronic headaches, debilitating neck or jaw pain, and depression.
Also, TMJ is the one relating to the hinge that connects your jaw to your skull that can arise from injury, misalignment of your teeth, arthritis or any other symptoms.
To deal with this TMJ, some therapists can apply treatment from the inside and the implementation of stretches and exercises will strengthen other muscles around the area and shift the mind’s focus away from the jaw.
Alternatively, TMJ can be relieved with gua sha of jade rollers, which can break up some of the fascia that forms due to inflammation and the overuse of muscle.
Alongside, massaging some of those tender points too hard can actually aggravate and agitate the muscle, furthering inflammation, also known as more clenching.
Thus, you must do it gently and apply strength in a conservative fashion so you will not go overboard.
When doing so, you can use gua sha with jade rollers to massage other muscles of your face that may be feeling a bit of reciprocal pain from TMJ namely the temples, cheekbones, mastoid muscles along the front of the neck, and along the eyebrows.
Everytime, your head is tilted forward, as well as looking down on a phone or computer, the jaw bears the burden of the weight of the head
Then, when your head goes forward, the shoulders hunch, in which it will make this postural position muscle tension leading to headaches and neck stiffness.
If you practice with a gua sha tool with the pointed end one, you can use it to activate pressure points in the neck, jaw, temples, and shoulders, while its two angled edges are used for more sweeping facial massage patterns.
To get real result, just do it regularly to decrease in tension, diminished signs of fine lines and wrinkles in areas that you hold tension, and an overall more relaxed and softened face
How to Do Self Care Gua Sha to Relieve TMJ Tension
This day, gua sha facials and at-home gua sha tools are getting the most massage tools that are skyrocketing such as the popularity of jade rollers skyrocket.
Of course, you can use this tool to relieve muscle pain such as TMJ that you can follow these instruction at thome
- As usual , you can firstly clean your face first
- Prepare your skin with by spraying our tonic over the skin and pressing our oil into it
- When starting massaging your face, make sure to start on the neck before working on your face.
- Use the tip of gua sha tool underneath the chin, hook under the jaw bone, and slowly swipe the tool toward the back of the jaw while anchoring the skin under the chin with the thumb of your opposite hand.
- WHen doing that, you can use medium to firm pressure, but if your skin turns red or you feel uncomfortable, lighten up the pressure.
- Still with the same motion and direction, you can slide over the jaw bone on the side of the face, as opposed to underneath, then anchor with the opposite hand on the side of the chin.
- To find any knots, breathe into them and move slowly that can encourage a release.
- Next, you can continue to trace under the cheekbone with the hook edge, continuing to move slowly.
- Afterward, you can comb down the jaw bone, and between the cheek and jaw bone in that you can let the jaw open if it feels good.
- You can then make small, firm circles around the big jaw muscle or the masseter, the muscle to chew, tighten the jaw, and grind your teeth to encourage release where you must also ease up on pressure to feel tender
- Always make sure to repeat the action for the other side.
During the process of relieving TMJ with gua sha, you can use a flat handheld gua sha tool, then apply medium to heavy pressure while raking it across the skin which will be useful to increase blood flow and stimulate the lymphatic system.
To use gua sha on your face, just do a more gentle glide and a slight pull on the face directionality and following the meridians of the body
If you use gua sha tools in her holistic facial practice for long term, you will relieve nearly every skin condition from rosacea to dryness and adult acne.
When dealing with TMJ, doing gua sha can help moving lymph, which carries away toxins or in this case, blackheads, and stimulating the chi or prana
Moreover, it can also tone the muscles and firm the skin, as well as getting deep relaxation.
This gua sha jade rollers are soothing and it can certainly help with depuffing and promote skin elasticity.
If you want to do this at home you need to take a workshop and learn how to use the gua sha tool successfully
On the other side, you can try using the ultra-buzzy gua sha, which was designed to release muscle tension in the face, neck, and jaw that will be useful to reduce facial puffiness, stimulating blood and lymphatic flow, and sculpting the facial contours.
Anyway, gua sha can melt stress-induced tension away in that it is common for stress to manifest as tension in your head, neck, and jaw, often more than other places in the body.
Doing a facial gua sha is working to increase circulation and helping release long-held tension in your face, head, jaw, and neck
In order to get better results doing gua sha for TMJ, you can follow this tip that is todo each stroke at least three times, move slowly, and never forget to breathe.
While doing gua sha for TMJ, you can also apply it to your face and neck by drawing gua sha tool down and across the back of your neck
Next, you can use gua sha tool to release your chest muscles by sweeping it beneath your collar bones and holding it down on an acupressure point next to your shoulder.
Then, you may need to work on your perpetually clenched jaw, because even lightly pressing the wand into your jaw pressure point is enough to send an intense ache up through the entire side of your head.
Before applying gua sha, it will be better if you use the right gua sha tool
In line with this, gua sha may come in a myriad of different shapes, sizes and forms.
Some people commonly use gua sha tools made of jade or rose quartz.
As a consideration, you can choose a gua sha tool made from actual rose quartz or jade, rather than an acrylic tool dyed to look like crystal that can cause skin irritations to your skin
Gua sha jade is known for inviting serenity and purity, as well as promoting fertility, balance and deep healing.
Meanwhile, rose quartz is known for restoring harmony in the heart and is the stone of universal love, encouraging unconditional loving and compassion.
Step by Step Gua Sha to Reduce The Discomfort of TMJ by Self
Following this technique will be a good reference for those who clench their teeth during times of stress and even those who grind their teeth at night.
Also, the other of gua sha benefits may include promoting healthy lymphatic drainage, the break up of fascia and improved blood circulation to the skin tissue.
Thus, just follow these tips to relieve TMJ with gua sha therapy
- Just apply tonic oil first to prepare your face skin to absorb the oil, sweet fern, damask rose, and douglas fir plant waters stimulate skin detoxification where you can opt to use oil with a resin nutrient complex nourishes skin & frees the flow by stimulating circulation.
- Use a gua sha tool in the point on the jaw that you experience the most tension.
Just glide the gua sha tool in small circles until you feel the muscle release where these will move and release the masseter muscle in the jaw.
- Try to stabilize the skin especially for your face and work across the jaw muscle, in a small repetitive motion.
Be sure to repeat several times to feel a release.
- You can then continue to complete with a few long strokes down the neck from the earlobe to the collar bone to drain lymphatic fluid from your face.
What are The Cosmetic and Non Cosmetic Benefits of Gua Sha ?
Because of gua sha this treatment focuses on moving the lymph carrying away toxins as well as leaving the skin toned and firmed, and you uber relaxed.
Generally, there are some more advantages from doing gua sha for your muscle treatment such as giving you cosmetic and non-cosmetic benefits
Cosmetic Benefits of Doing Gua Sha
- It can boost up collagen production and reduce appearance of puffiness, fine lines and wrinkles
- It eases facial muscle tension as well as restoring firmness and elasticity and prevents sagging skin
- It is useful to promote a brighter complexion while eliminating dark circles around the eyes
- It helps in breaking up and releasing the skin from dark spots and hyper-pigmentation and it is to heal and relieve rosacea as well as producing penetration
- Gua sha can also be an alternative to injections and face-lift surgery
To do this, make sure to practice on your daily routine at home or in which you must receive treatments from a licensed practitioner.
Non-Cosmetic Benefits of Doing Gua Sha
- Gua sha can help you relieve jaw tension or TMJ TMJ disorder and migraine headaches
- It can also promote lymphatic and inflammation drainage
- It is really helpful for sinus congestion
- Doing gua sha can be useful to reduce brain fog and boost mental clarity
- Because smooth blood circulation, it helps carry nutrient-rich and oxygenated blood as food for the cells to the skin and tissues for the entire body
Conclusion
Gua Sha is an Eastern massage that you can use for your beauty treatment with a tool made of natural stone that is gently scraped across the skin to smooth away muscle tension, encourage healthy circulation and lymphatic drainage.
Practicing facial gua sha routinely will clear, smooth, plump, tighten and rejuvenate skin while reducing under-eye circles and puffiness
Doing gua sha can re-channel the flow of your energy, releasing pain-relieving endorphins and redirecting blood flow to otherwise stagnant or inflamed areas of the body.
Scraping gua sha across your skin will feel your face instantly relax and it really helps people with TMJ or jaw issues
If you have such issues, you usually clench your jaw while you are sleeping when you are stressed at the time.
If you try practicing gua sha regularly, you will immediately notice that your jaw feels less tight, and you can relax it more than ever.
In addition, the scraping motion you do with a gua sha stone breaks up the muscle tissue, which is usually called fascia
This fascia brings circulation and causes the muscles to relax more.
Thus, if you feel so stressed and can feel it in your face, just practice gua sha to bring some relief while adding in some awesome self-care to your day.