Craniosacral Therapy for TMJ
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) acts like a sliding hinge, connecting your jawbone to your skull. You have one joint on each side of your jaw. TMJ disorders — a type of temporomandibular disorder or TMD — can cause pain in your jaw joint and in the muscles that control jaw movement.
People can develop TMJ problems for many different reasons, including jaw injuries (from a direct blow or a car accident), arthritis, teeth grinding at night, dental procedures, and stress. Problems with the joint can come on very quickly or develop over time.
CranioSacral Therapy is a gentle, hands-on technique that focuses on your cranial and facial bones, spine, sacrum, and cerebrospinal fluid. Using light pressure, a therapist releases tension in the connective tissue and encourages the flow of fluid between the cranium, spine, and sacrum. In addition, specific intra-oral (a fancy term for jaw work) can be done to release restrictions around the facial and jaw bones including the maxilla, mandible, palatine bones, zygomatic process and the pterygoids. Micro adjustments to the position of these bones are made, thereby, allowing the body to naturally heal and come into a renewed place of homeostasis (regulation). The Craniosacral Intraoral Therapy alleviates stress upon various parts of the mouth and jaw.
What does an Intraoral Craniosacral Therapy session look like?
The therapist wears protective gloves before entering the mouth. A gentle pressure of 5 grams or less is applied to various tissues, muscles, and bones of the jaw, upper and lower gum lines and underneath the tongue. The bones of the hard palate are evaluated for dysfunctional physiological motion and restrictions of the membranes in these bones are then released to allow proper motion of the hard palate. Depending on the severity of symptoms, the duration of treatment will vary but some relief should be felt in the very first session.
To book a TMJ focused Craniosacral Therapy session, choose “Full TMJ Session for Jaw Pain” on the menu – https://squareup.com/appointments/book/6zz459j291ngvv/L5RB4AZG7DFJQ/services
Final Thoughts
If you are new to Craniosacral Therapy, there is also an introductory “Mini Boost Craniosacral Therapy” option on the menu. This is a great option for those wanting to get a sense of the treatment without doing the full hour.