From Specific to Comprehensive: Elevating My TMJ Massage Skills

This past weekend (6/2025) I was fortunate enough to take a TMJ course that incorporated a variety of modalities. Typically I’ve taken very specific intervention courses and wanted to add something a bit more general to the mix. The course I took over the weekend taught me me how to work superficially. Since most of my clients don’t like intraoral work (I don’t blame you or them, it’s extremely invasive and who likes it when you’re pressing into very tender and painful areas INSIDE YOUR MOUTH), and I was only trained in intraoral, I needed something that could help me meet people where they’re at, and this class was just the thing.

Do you often wake up with a sore jaw, experience headaches that start behind your eyes, or hear clicking or popping when you eat? You're definitely not alone. Many people experience these frustrating symptoms, often linked to the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).

Why/how did I decide to take this generalist class on TMJ-D?

For the past three years, I've been dedicated to helping individuals find relief from their TMJ discomfort, using very specific techniques typically done inside the mouth to address pain and tension. My journey into this specialized work began with my own struggle. For years, every dentist I saw suggested I'd eventually need surgery to "crack and realign" my jaw – a prospect that, naturally, filled me with terror. In my late 20s, I even started researching the costs, recovery time, and details of such a procedure.

Coincidentally, this was around the time I began massage school. What I didn't realize then was that massage could even help with my jaw issues. No one had ever mentioned the muscles in my mouth as a potential source of my misalignment. It wasn't until I was 30 that I experienced a massage specifically focused on my TMJ and facial muscles. It was both intense and incredibly effective – after just one session, I could actually open my mouth fully, and my head and neck felt free from 30 years of held tension.

That transformative experience solidified my passion. I knew I needed to learn how to provide this relief for others. Since then, I've been fortunate to continuously learn and integrate new techniques, and I'm thrilled to say that I no longer need jaw surgery! While TMJ discomfort is something I'll always need to manage, consistent massage helps keep my muscles relaxed and prevents the debilitating tightness from returning.

I'm incredibly grateful to have found a way to resolve my own jaw issues and even more so to be able to offer this profound relief to my clients.