What is it?
TMD is a painful musculoskeletal condition affecting the masticatory muscles and the joint that allows movement of the jaw bone (mandible) from the temporal bone (part of skull) (TMJ)
It is often associated with other conditions such as fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome
It is thought to have a complex origin associated with biopsychosocial factors
TMD affects 1 in 4 people in the UK (1)
The condition is more common among females than males
Symptoms vary from person to person
It can be triggered by whiplash, prolonged dental treatment, having a dominant chewing side or constant chewing on one side of the mouth, cradling the phone on one side, clenching teeth and tension in the neck and shoulders.
Signs and Symptoms
Musculoskeletal pain in specific areas such as neck, shoulders, upper back, jaw
Tinnitus (ringing in ears) and earache (with no infection)
Trismus - unable to fully open the mouth
Bruxism - grinding of the teeth
Pain which can be dull, burning or sharp in nature
Headaches from mild to migraine (2)
Dizziness
Difficulty swallowing and speaking
Difficulty sleeping
Stress - clenching the jaw when stressed, anxious
Painful periods - tension in hip flexors (deep fascial line connects hip and jaw)
How can I help?
I use a combination of the Jing Method™ and heat, myofascial, acupressure and trigger point release massage and tailored self care as.
a full assessment of your condition and medical history is taken
the treatment involves holding, grounding, calming and relaxing
'dialling down' your sympathetic nervous system - fight, flight, freeze
treating acupressure points around face, head, ears, neck and shoulders
indirect and direct myofascial release of the soft tissues throughout the body and in particular around the head and shoulders
trigger point release for tension in neck and shoulders and holding patterns of the body
muscle energy techniques to strengthen muscles of jaw, neck and upper back (3)
tailored self-care advice to empower you, the client, to take control of your pain
most important of all I treat you, the whole person
What is the Jing Method™
The Jing Method™ is a fusion of Eastern and Western research based bodywork techniques
where a therapeutic alliance is formed between the client and therapist. Your detailed history and needs are listened to.Together we work towards your functional goals, reducing your pain, improving your range of motion and recovery using the biopsychosocial (BPS) pain model* and a clinical outcome based approach to treat musculoskeletal pain and persistent pain conditions.
*BPS pain model - An evidence based holistic approach which takes in to account biological (tissue damage/scars/injury), psychological (mental health, emotions, trauma) and social (social status, family, support, work) aspects involved in persistent pain through central sensitisation of the nervous system.
Research indicates that massage therapy and muscle energy techniques are effective in managing TMD, decreasing pain intensity and improving ROM of TMJ (1, 3).
Self Care
Heat can help ease muscle pain bringing blood flow to the area
Self massage - using soft massage ball to ease pain
Resisted stretching (using resistance bands) - strengthens and stretches muscles
Relaxation techniques to ease tension in the jaw, neck and shoulders
A daily conscious breathing practice such as Buteyko or diaphragmatic breathing can reduce anxiety and improve relaxation (reducing stress levels)
Keep a diary of pain, mood and wellness to pinpoint triggers and releases
References and Research
(1) Gürsoy, Y., Uysal, H.H., 2020. Effect of manual therapy on range of motion, pain and quality of life in temporomandibular joint dysfunction, Journal of the Romanian Sports Medicine Society.
(2) Branco, L.P., Santis, T.O., ... Bussadori, S.K., 2013. Association between headache and temporomandibular joint disorders in children and adolescents. Journal of oral science 55, 39–43. doi:10.2334/josnusd.55.39
(3) Trivedi, P., Bhatt, P., … Nambi, G. (2016). COMPARISON OF MUSCLE ENERGY TECHNIQUE AND MYOFASCIAL RELEASE TECHNIQUE ON PAIN AND RANGE OF MOTION IN PATIENTS WITH TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT DYSFUNCTION: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDY. International Journal of Physiotherapy and Research, 4(6), 1788–1792. https://doi.org/10.16965/ijpr.2016.192
(4) National Institute for Health Care and Guidance (NICE) - https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/temporomandibular-disorders-tmds/
For more information contact Mandy
mobile : 07747 722171
email : mandy.greenbanana@gmail.com