♫ Got To Do With It ♫
Congratulations! We’ve (nearly) made it through another winter, and the lengthening days sure are nice right about now. With the threat of snow still present for at least a little while longer, and that “cabin fever” really beginning to show itself in earnest, we thought we’d use this month to highlight a common symptom of stress – TMJ and headaches!
If you’ve ever woken up with a sore jaw or headache, found your jaw clicking during a meal, or been told you have TMJ, this month is for YOU!
Today, we are going to explore one of our team’s top tips for dealing with chronic headaches and TMJ, and that is to pay attention to your tongue.
Where Is Your Tongue?
For people who struggle with headaches or tightness in the jaw, a very common culprit is inappropriate placement of the tongue. Go ahead and check it right now while you’re reading – where is your tongue?
Oftentimes with headache patients, the tongue has a tendency to want to jut forward into the teeth, either pressing against the lower teeth or even sometimes the upper teeth, putting pressure on the teeth, the jaw, and really, the whole face. A solution is to keep your tongue resting further back in your mouth, touching the upper palate.
How In The Heck Do I Keep It Where It Belongs?
The solution is super simple, but the implementation can feel far from easy.
The quickest way to get a feel for where the tongue should rest is to make a “clucking” or clicking noise with your tongue, and then take note of where your tongue when it touches the roof of your mouth. That’s the spot! It’s further back than you thought, isn’t it?
Now that you’ve got the ideal placement, the trick is to actually *keep it there* – and that’s where practice comes in. While you’re first beginning to implement this into your life, it can feel a bit cumbersome, so our PTs recommend setting a timer on your phone to go off several times a day to remind you to check where your tongue is hanging out in your mouth. Over time, this will become less and less necessary as your body re-learns the proper placement, but certainly in the beginning, it can take some persistence.
Stick with it! This change can make a big difference for people who suffer from chronic headaches and jaw pain, and while it might feel weird (and you may even be sore for those first few days!) it’s going to pay off in a big way as your body grows accustomed to it.
Here is Dr. Kayla Sharing More On The Tongue
All of our PTs here at Balance Within Physical Therapy are specially trained to work with the jaw and head, and in today’s video, Dr. Kayla goes into a bit more detail about why it makes such a difference, and who can benefit from this practice of tongue re-alignment.
While being conscious of tongue placement and working to unclench your jaw (oh yes, there’s another free tip for you!) can make a big difference in helping you on your headache healing journey, there may be underlying issues, additional problems, or unseen root causes preventing you from completely kicking that clicking and cracking jaw for good. For that, we recommend booking a free consultation with one of our PTs to discover what’s REALLY going on, beyond just tongue placement and jaw tension. Why are those patterns there in the first place?
Our PTs can help you get to the bottom of what is going on, and make a plan for your success from there.
In the meantime, keep clucking away, and click the link below when you’re ready to truly feel better, not just mask the symptoms.
Our TMJ and Headache specialists, Jereme, Jill, or Kayla and the rest of our team of highly experienced and trained experts are available to meet with you and create personalized treatment plans around your unique needs to keep you feeling your best, or helping you heal even if you didn’t think it was possible.
Call us at 262.264.8701 to chat with us about how we can help and get on the path to better movement, or click the button below to inquire for more information.
Remember, life’s too short to suffer!
Drs. Jereme & Sarah Trunk
P.S.
Do you know someone struggling with postpartum problems like a leaky bladder, pain during sex, or a “mummy tummy” that won’t go away no matter what they do? We are partnering with Anchor Fitness, a local gym created for mamas by a mama, to bring absolutely vital information to our community about the importance of the pelvic floor. Megan Wiley, DPT, one of our women’s health experts, will be leading a FREE workshop on the pelvic floor and the core on Sunday, March 20th from 11-12pm, and spaces are *extremely* limited. Pre-registration is required for this free event. Please click the link below to reserve your space for this empowering and educational class.
Red Button – https://balancewithinpt.com/womenshealthworkshop/#
P.P.S.
Now is an excellent time to come in for that “spring tune up” to help clear up any stiffness, soreness, or pain that may have arisen during the winter months. Throughout this entire month of March, we are offering a full 50% off the price of your first session whether you are completely new to our practice, or simply haven’t been in to see one of our experts in a while. To claim this excellent offer, all you need to do is give our office a call at 262.264.8701 and we will be happy to help you feel your best for the new season.
