Lymphatic & Buccal Massage For TMJ
If you have been following me on this blog or over on Instagram, you may remember that back in 2018 I was unfortunately in a car accident. Although there were no broken bones, and everyone came out of the accident with their lives… I have been dealing with unfortunate TMJ ever since.
I have tried physio, I have tried acupuncture, and I have also tried something called the ‘Bowen' technique’. I have had expensive mouth guards made… None of these things have offered any relief.
The only thing that slightly helped was I went for a facial, and the facialist had given me a fairly intense massage.
I have been getting lymphatic massages for about a year now with Karla Santos, and although i have had lymphatic drainages done on my face… It depuffed, but it didn’t really help with the tension in my jaw. Until now…
WHAT IS TMJ?
The joint that connects your lower jaw to your skull is called the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Both sides of your head, in front of your ears, have this joint. It lets your jaw move back and forth, so you can talk and eat.
People have also used the abbreviation "TMJ" to talk about a group of jaw-related health problems. But more and more people are shortening this to "TMD" or "TMJD" to distinguish the temporomandibular joint from TMJ disorders.
WHAT CAUSES TMJ?
Unfortunately for me, since the car accident, I tend to clench my jaw. It is worse in the nighttime, but if i am dealing with any particular stress, I can notice that I am sitting at my desk with my jaw clenched tight.
Some days it is worse than others, for example, when it's really cold out. These are the nights that I tend to clench my teeth more than I do on most nights.
The main cause is sometimes too much stress on the jaw joints and the group of muscles that control chewing, swallowing, and speaking.
For me, after a night of clenching it is particularly painful to talk in the morning, and I need to give myself a little time for the muscles to relax. I tell my husband that it is almost like my jaw needs to 'warm up'.
If I try to speak or eat very soon after waking up... my jaw is so stiff that it won’t move. And if I force it almost gives a sensation like I have been hit in the nose with a ball. Or like when you drink a fizzy drink and the fizz goes out your nose.
This strain could be caused by grinding your teeth. This is when you tend to clench or grind your teeth without meaning.
But TMD can be caused by damage to the jaw, head, or neck.
The physiotherapist had also told me because I had whiplash which affected my neck, this is also how this TMJ could have started.
All I know is that it wasn't an issue for me before the car accident.
Let’s talk about what I have been doing to help it. Well, as I mentioned I have been getting lymphatic drainage massage for over a year now. And my therapist, Karla, recently started offering buccal massage… and for the first time in 4 years, I have some relief.
WHAT IS ‘BUCCAL’?
Buccal is referring to the anatomy of the body. The area is directed toward the cheek, or relating to the cheek. It also is pertaining to the sides of the mouth or to the mouth.
The buccal mucosa is the lining of the cheeks and the back of the lips, inside the mouth where they touch the teeth.
WHAT IS ‘BUCCAL MASSAGE’?
More and more people are starting to realise that having tight muscles in your face can make your blood flow and lymph flow bad.
This means that our tissues aren't getting enough nutrients and oxygen, which means that our system isn't getting clean enough.
The buccal massage is a type of facial massage that targets the drooping of the jowls (the lower part of the chin), which is a problem area that everyone understands.
A buccal massage is similar to a normal lymphatic massage of the face, except that it is done inside the mouth.
First, the aesthetician will clean their hands well and protect them (usually with medical-grade gloves). Then, they will apply pressure starting at the corner of the nose and working their way down to the chin.
Then they'll work on the orbicularis oris, which are the muscles around the mouth, by gently pulling and massaging the lips.
Then they massage from the inside of the cheeks out, pulling the skin up and down and massaging in a circle with their thumbs and index fingers
It takes about 30 minutes to do a buccal massage from start to finish.
Lymphatic massages and even deep pressure to the inside of the skin can temporarily reduce puffiness and improve the face's natural curves and bone structure.
Massage in that area can improve blood flow, stimulate skin repair pathways, and make the skin look younger.
WHO IS BUCCAL MASSAGE FOR?
If you've been staying up late, drinking a lot, eating a lot of sugar, or eating a high-sodium diet, you may feel like your skin is red, puffy, or swollen.
A massage of the cheeks can improve circulation, reduce puffiness, and speed up tissue repair. And if you're as stressed out as the rest of us and hold a lot of tension in your face and jaw, or if you wake up with jaw pain and headaches, you might benefit from a buccal massage, which can reduce tightness and tension in your face and relieve some of these symptoms. It's also a good choice if you just want a new look all over.
A buccal massage is a great way to tighten and refresh your skin when you feel like your skin is dull, your face looks puffy, or you want to try something more natural.
WHAT MAKES A BUCCAL MASSAGE A GOOD WAY TO EASE THE PAIN OF TMJ DISORDER?
Some of the muscles that help you chew, like the Masseter, Temporalis, and Medial and Lateral Pterygoids, are involved in TMJ.
The Masseter and Temporalis muscles can be reached from outside the mouth, but the Medial and Lateral Pterygoids can only be reached effectively from inside the mouth.
Buccal massage helps release tension not only in these hard-to-reach muscles but also in all the muscles in the mouth and the area around it. Buccal massage is done both on the inside and outside of the mouth at the same time. This is a truly holistic and complete way to treat TMJ.
Would you ever consider this massage? I can vouch for the fact it is great for those of us with TMJ, but there are so many benefits if you do not have TMJ
