Not many people realize that pressure in the jaw, known as Temporomandibular Dysfunction is prevalent in a wide range of illnesses and imbalances. If this pressure and misalignment is not addressed and corrected, the outcome can lead to many problems in your health and well-being.

In the middle of writing this article I found it intriguing the way one of my clients experienced a series of tissue releases around the mouth and jaw during a craniosacral session with me. She had just

come from a routine teeth cleaning by her dentist and being a massage therapist herself, knew it was a good idea to check for any distortions or tightness in the cranial bones and membranes that may have resulted.

I first conducted a hands-on protocol from feet to head to bring in a gentle rhythm that started to balance and release surface tension and knots, while putting the body-mind into a relaxed state of peacefulness. Then I was drawn to work inside the mouth with a non-latex glove. I felt each tooth at the point where it meets the gum and noticed the stream of pressure releasing quickly and easily.

To my client’s surprise, memories of her tonsillectomy and adenoid operation came up and the associated feelings of panic. She remembered how she had struggled to breathe and how her heart beat had accelerated. She realized how fearful the whole experienced must have been for her as a child, overwhelmed by doctors in white and understanding very little of what was about to happen. Her system quickly went into a very deep and peaceful still point and released the remainder of the suppressed pattern.

There was a lightness and calmness in her system and an ease in the movement of her cranial bones.

Clenching, grinding, chewing on one side, clicking, headaches, facial ticks, tinnitus, pain to face or neck, or difficulty opening or closing the mouth fully are some sure signs of Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ). In the treatment of TMJ dysfunction the Craniosacral Therapist takes more than just the mechanical arrangement of teeth into consideration. Going beyond the biomechanics, he or she looks at freeing up:

1) The cranial bones

2) The cranial nerves

3) The constricted muscles of the face, neck and shoulders

4) The unresolved tissue memory locked in the nervous system

The therapist will gently position his or her hands on your head and evaluate the pressure and symmetry. Then by tuning into the subtle craniosacral rhythm created by the spinal fluid, the therapist will follow the motion of the bones to releases in pressure. Looking at the whole scene from the outside it appears that very little is going on, because the touch is so light and the movement is so miniscule. But palpating the bones is a unique sensory, somatic experience in which one tunes into the incredible untwisting, balancing and letting go of stored stress. I’ve learned that it is in the nature of the body to strive towards more health and balance if given a chance and if allowed to use its own natural properties.

When someone is on stage reciting a monologue, there is a prompter with the words on a card where the performer can see them. I feel as though I am the prompter for the body, just reminding it what it already knows but simply needs encouraging to do.

Along with bone compression, the muscles and ligaments that tie the bones together get released during a routine treatment. The temporalis muscle and fascia cover the area around the jaw and extend upward to the head. Since muscles are the elastic fibres that accommodate movement, a lack in tone or too much tightness can contribute to TMJ problems. Applying very gentle traction is possible because a CS therapist has learned to combine sending energy with tractioning muscles. There is less physical force but far more effective results. Currents of electro-magnetic energy emitted from our hands have the power to soften and break down tightness in tissues.

Underneath the muscles are a set of twelve cranial nerves that, like spinal nerves, exit and enter the brain. These nerves are essential in bringing the right hormones, neuropeptides and information to specific parts of the body. They depend on an unobstructed path and are often interfered with because of bone and muscle pressure. Cranial nerves play a major role in hearing, vision, speech, motor function and learning. In addition, the pituitary and thyroid glands are both situated in these areas and rely on the free flow of nerves to bring all their life-regulating hormones to the cells. If there has been an impact from some injury or an ongoing emotional stressor, the current of energy or energy flow gets backed up and stuck. “Fluid congestion head” results in the kind of headache where there’s lots of pressure around the eyes and your head feels like it wants to explode. There’s no point in trying to focus or organize your thoughts when you are in such a state.

The Vagus Nerve, the tenth cranial nerve, needs to be given special mention because it is the longest of the twelve cranial nerves. Not only does the vagus nerve innervate the ear canal but also the pharynx, larynx, bronchi, lungs, heart, esophagus, stomach, large and small intestines and bile duct system. It’s easy to see that when this nerve is hypersensitized by compression it can produce such symptoms as dizziness, heart racing or irregularity, heartburn from stomach acid, irritable bowels or weakened immune system.

It is uplifting to know that some dentists, chiropractors and massage therapists have gone on to study CranioSacral Therapy. These are the ones that are willing to step out of the box and understand that what affects one area of the body has an affect on another part. To take it even a bit further, when practitioners understand that energy and science work together they can make headway in their success with patients and their health.

The TMJ Syndrome was originally called “Costen’s Syndrome”, named after a medical physician who specialized in ear, nose and throat problems. Costen estimated that 85% of his patients were suffering from dental malocclusion (improper joint alignment and bite). He attributed 15% to emotional causes. In my own experience, I have come to recognize that a much larger percentage of TMJ problems are rooted in stress, suppressed emotions and previous unhealed trauma. Other factors that weigh heavily in TMJ Dysfunction are imprints in tissue memory from braces, wisdom teeth removals, operations to correct jaw alignment, and forceps or vacuum assisted deliveries.

To date, John Upledger, Doctor of Osteopathy and creator of CranioSacral Therapy, has reported that many dentists, medical doctors, osteopaths and holistic health practitioners have gotten excellent results using his craniosacral techniques. As Upledger says, “Our goal is to decompress the joints,balance the system (dural membrane, spinal cord, muscle groups and joints) and let nature take its course. After many years of seeing how the body can work towards healing itself, I have formed a respect and trust in the way nature expresses itself through our bodies. Healing Systems do exist and work together with our knowledge of anatomy and disease.

You might say that the junction of the jaw is a reflection as to the ease with which we express life.

Like a locked hinged it may be keeping so much suppressed energy at bay simply because it has not been prompted to remember what it truly can do.

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