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Recently a client came to me about a technique for TMJ I was concerned about regarding the sensitivity of the area.

Has anyone here either employed, heard of, or learned a technique, for deep tissue work with TMJ using the elbow?

-K

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No, I most certainly haven't. To be quite honest, that sounds rather dangerous to me, because of the detail work with the small muscles and the sensitivity of the face. When I learned TMJ work, we used gloves, and worked the area with our hands in sort of a pincer grip kind of way, with a finger inside their mouth, and the thumb outside on their cheek, massaging the muscles in the area that way. I felt like a mix between a dentist and a massage therapist.

No, I haven't either and I wouldn't recommend it.  Anything you do with the TMJ needs to be gentle and careful.  You are correct that it's a sensitive area!  Not only are you dealing with the Trigeminal Nerve but also with the strongest muscles in the body (the masseters) and the additional challenge of all the emotional stuff that gets tied into TMJ issues.

I like Chantel's technique but even with that, be careful how much pressure you use.  Think of encouraging the muscles to let go rather than working them to get them to let go.  You can also massage the masseters from the outside.

If you have any local CranioSacral practitioners, they would be a good resource for a CST TMJ release.

Elbow into the jaw?  Wouldn't take much pressure to dislocate the jaw, or even fracture the bone.   The suggestions are great so far.  But first step, you should find and release trigger points.

If there is any reality to it, sounds like a gimmick to me. Most TMJ clients have a lot of Tender Point involvement. I've worked on a lot of headache people that didn't realize that there was a lot of jaw involvement. Even those that have been diagnosed with migraines. After treating their jaw, temples, neck and so on for tender points. They are surprised to find their headache gone.

I just got this email today: Til Lucau's new video on TMJ and Jaw Issues is now released:

http://advanced-trainings.com/store/product_info.php/products_id/223

I have his complete set of DVD's and they are well worth having!  I'm sure this one is no exception; I'll be ordering a copy tomorrow.

http://acutakehealth.com/tmj-think-muscles-for-jaw-pain

I wonder if Lucau's DVD mentions the word Trigger Points? hmm.... An interesting article on TMJ in the above link.

probably won't.  Doug Nelson did mention tps in one of his DVD seminars when he accidentally found one-- after he mentioned it, he ignored it, however.

Skilled trigger point work costs Rolfing-based therapists money because we accomplish the same thing in a fraction of the time.

Gordon J. Wallis said:

http://acutakehealth.com/tmj-think-muscles-for-jaw-pain

I wonder if Lucau's DVD mentions the word Trigger Points? hmm.... An interesting article on TMJ in the above link.
A trigger pointed muscle is a shortened muscle. And muscles connect to bones. One of my tp clients told me that she had to actually change her seating and mirrors when she got into her car after one of her sessions. I find it really weird that often times trigger points are not even mentioned when it comes to soft tissue pain relief work or structural bodywork? Not my reality at all. I find it mind boggling?

well to be fare. I haven't seen that dvd so? All I'm saying is if there are trigger points present. Whatever therapy you are doing , would have to make those trigger points go away in order to really help the client. Hmm. That's just how I think?
Gary W Addis, LMT said:

probably won't.  Doug Nelson did mention tps in one of his DVD seminars when he accidentally found one-- after he mentioned it, he ignored it, however.

Skilled trigger point work costs Rolfing-based therapists money because we accomplish the same thing in a fraction of the time.

Gordon J. Wallis said:

http://acutakehealth.com/tmj-think-muscles-for-jaw-pain

I wonder if Lucau's DVD mentions the word Trigger Points? hmm.... An interesting article on TMJ in the above link.

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