Jaw Tension, More Common than You Might Think!

Upper back, neck and shoulders are the most commonly requested areas of focus from our clients, followed by low back and hips. And doesn’t it feel good to have tension in those areas worked out! A good back massage can be life changing - okay, maybe not quite, but it can certainly feel life changing in the moment if your shoulders have been tense for a while. 

Sometimes, clients will mention another area of tension in passing. “My shoulders feel like they’re up to my ears, and I’m grinding my teeth in my sleep, but you probably can’t do anything about that.” …Actually, we can totally help with that. Surprised? We’re going to address some of the overlooked areas for massage, starting with the jaw. Are you a teeth grinder? Do you get frequent headaches? Is it ever difficult or painful to chew? This post is for you.

Let’s start with a brief anatomy overview: the lower jaw moves at the temporomandibular joint, which is where your jaw meets your cheekbone. Several muscles help move the TM joint, the most prominent being your masseter. Put your hands on your cheeks and clench your teeth. That bulging muscle you feel is your masseter, and it is the most powerful muscle in the body relative to its tiny size. Have you ever struggled to chew through an overcooked piece of meat? Thank your masseter for its service.  

Assisting the masseter in chewing, and also moving your lower jaw from side to side, are the pterygoids. They are deep to the masseter, and you have two on each side of your face. You can partially work the pterygoids from the face, but the most direct access is from inside the mouth, above your upper molars. Several of our therapists are trained in intraoral massage. Don’t worry, they wear gloves.

Finally, the temporalis muscle connects the side of your skull to your lower jaw, also helping to move the TM joint. Bite down again, this time with your hands and your temples. That’s your temporalis contracting. To work temporalis, we will delicately massage along the cheek bone into the side of the head - yes, a scalp massage! A skillful scalp massage can do wonders for alleviating jaw tension. 

Not sure if this work is for you? Try a self test: open your jaw nice and wide. Do you have three fingers width of space between the upper and lower jaw? Let your jaw return to a neutral position. Is there space between your upper and lower molars, or are they clenched? Finally, slowly open and close your jaw a few times in front of a mirror. Does your chin go down straight towards your breastbone, or does it veer to the left or right? If your jaw moves at an angle, clenches or doesn’t fully open, mention it to your therapist at your next session. Your jaw will thank you.