Massage Therapy for Temporomandibular Joint Disorders (TMJ)
- Danielle Pukala
- Jun 12, 2024
- 3 min read
Temporomandibular Joint Disorders (TMJ) encompass disorders of the temporomandibular joints, masticatory muscles, and adjacent tissues. The main characteristics of TMJ are pain and limitations of jaw opening.
TMJ disorders can cause pain in your jaw joint and in the muscles that control jaw movement. This often results from a combination of factors, such as genetics, arthritis, or jaw injury. Some people who have jaw pain also tend to clench or grind their teeth, although many people habitually clench or grind their teeth and never develop TMJ disorders.
Research has shown that conservative manual techniques of physical therapy, including massage, are highly beneficial in relieving TMJ management. There were significant improvements in pain relief and maximal mouth opening.
How Massage Therapy Can Help with TMJ
Have you ever heard of a study conducted by Gębska, Dalewski, Pałka, and Kołodziej in 2023? They looked into how manual soft tissue therapy and therapeutic exercises could help women who were experiencing pain, increased tension in their masseter muscle (one of the muscles that you use to chew), and limited mobility in their jaw. This study involved 82 women who were diagnosed with a type of TMJ disorder known as Ib—myofascial pain with restricted mobility.
What they found was pretty amazing. Massage, along with post-isometric muscle relaxation (PIR), and self-therapy, all led to a decrease in muscle tension at rest and during exercise. Each of these therapies showed a significant difference in muscle tension at the end of the study, with the most considerable difference in the group that received manual tissue manipulation and therapeutic exercises.
But here’s the best part: these forms of therapy were effective in reducing the patients’ pain intensity. When they compared the different methods, they found that self-therapy started to relieve pain after 8 treatments, PIR after 3 treatments, and massage after just 1 treatment.
Isn’t that incredible? Just one massage treatment started to relieve pain for these patients. This is why I’m such a big believer in the power of massage therapy for treating TMJ disorders, and SO many others!
Techniques for TMJ Massage Therapy
Intra-Oral Massage: This technique involves massaging the muscles inside the mouth. It can be particularly effective for TMJ disorders as it allows for direct access to the muscles that control jaw movement.
Myofascial Release: This technique involves applying gentle, sustained pressure to the myofascial connective tissue. This can help to eliminate pain and restore motion.
Trigger Point Therapy: This technique involves applying pressure to specific points on the body to relieve pain. These “trigger points” are often areas of muscle tightness or knots.
Deep Tissue Massage: This technique involves applying firm pressure and slow strokes to reach deeper layers of muscle and fascia. It’s commonly used to treat chronic aches and pains.
Legal Considerations for Intra-Oral Massage
It’s important to note that not all Licensed Massage Therapists (LMTs) are legally allowed to practice intra-oral massage. The regulations vary by state and country, and it’s crucial for therapists to be aware of the laws in their area.
In some regions, to qualify for an intra-oral massage endorsement, a massage therapist must complete specific education and training. This training often includes hands-on intra-oral massage techniques, cranial anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology, pathology and contraindications, and hygienic practices, safety, and sanitation
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Furthermore, therapists must obtain consent from their clients before performing intra-oral work. This is part of the ethical guidelines that all therapists must follow to ensure the comfort and safety of their clients. Lastly, it’s worth mentioning that the practice of massage by a massage therapist who is not properly dressed or massages a patient/client who is not properly draped for massage can be considered immoral conduct.
The therapeutic effects of intra-oral, extra-oral massage, and self-care management of temporomandibular dysfunction have been demonstrated in several randomized control trials and systematic reviews. As a licensed massage therapist, I can attest to the benefits of massage therapy for TMJ, as it's also something that I have suffered with for most of my life. It’s important to remember that every individual is unique, and what works for one person may not work for another. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment.
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