Hey Guys! Tasha here. Lately I have been noticing that a lot of people I see have stiff jaws! Let's talk about why and what you can do about it.

The temporomandibular (tem-puh-roe-mun-DIB-u-lur) joint is the joint that connects your jaw to your skull. These joints allow the jaw to open and close, chew, speak, and swallow. When this joint is injured or damaged, it can lead to a localized pain disorder called TMJD.

Research has shown that some of the attributing factors can be grinding and clenching of the teeth, postural imbalances, arthritis, excessive gum chewing, emotional trauma and stress, whiplash, prolonged dental procedures, and facial trauma or sports injuries.

Symptoms can include radiating pain in the face, jaw, neck, shoulders or ears, jaw muscle stiffness, limited movement or locking of the jaw, clicking, popping or grating in the jaw joint, headaches, abnormal bite/alignment, neck and shoulder pain, and swelling on the side of the face.

TMJD often responds to remedies including MASSAGE, gentle stretches of the jaw and neck, stress reduction and relaxation.
In most cases, the pain and discomfort associated with TMJD is temporary and can be relieved with self-managed care and nonsurgical treatments.

I have worked on several clients with tension and pain like this and almost every time it is gone by the end of the massage. I have used massage modalities such as trigger point therapy, cranial sacral therapy or structural body work on the muscles that can put pressure and tension in this area and had amazing results.  

I LOVE MASSAGE! I feel so privileged to have been a part of the miracle of the healing process that massage can create for an individual. I have also been on the receiving end and it has changed my life. I hope it can do the same for you.
Have a great day!
Tasha Ouderkirk, LMT
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Hey guys! Tasha here. Today I want to talk about my favorite technique to use to ERASE headaches: Trigger Point Therapy!

90% of headaches are muscle tension related! The muscles in the neck and shoulder area commonly contain trigger points. Referred pain from these trigger points bring clients in for massage more often than for any other problem!

Trigger Points are extremely common and become a painful part of nearly everyone's life at one time or another. Symptoms include but are not limited to:

• headaches on the temples
• headaches at the base of the skull
• headaches/pain behind the eye
• dizziness or vertigo
• Jaw pain (TMJD)
• severe neck pain
• a stiff neck
• limited range-of-motion
• lack of sleep
• Back pain
• Rotator cuff (shoulder) pain
• Frozen shoulder
• Tennis elbow
• Arthritis/Tendinitis/Bursitis
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• pelvic/hip pain
• Sciatic pain
• Leg and knee pain
• Plantar fascitis (foot) pain
• Fibromyalgia
• ETC.

As you can see, if a massage therapist has a good understanding of trigger point referral and can identify the specific muscles involved causing the pain,  it could make a huge difference!
Several muscles can be involved and all should be addressed during the session. Most clients experience headaches of one type or another and incorporating Trigger Point Therapy into the massage session will bring about more relief of symptoms and longer lasting results.

I have struggled with headaches almost all of my life and discovering massage therapy was like finding a miracle! Massage has given me longer lasting relief from headaches and migraines than anything else. Now, as long as I get regular massage, my headaches are almost non-existent! Massage helps me live a more pain free life. I hope it can do the same for you.
Have a great day!
Tasha Ouderkirk, LMT