By Cator Shachoy
Lines of gravity demonstrate some of the dynamics connecting the TMJs with the rest of the body*
Did you know that headaches, broken teeth, sinus infections, root canals, tinnitus, and vertigo could all be related to clenching and grinding your teeth? What about neck tension, shoulder pain, tightness in the chest, poor digestion, and pelvic imbalance?? I could also mention sciatica, sacroiliac joint issues, knee pain, and bunions (yes, bunions!) while we’re at it. And that’s the short list of issues that could be related to tension or dysfunction in the jaw, including the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).
Your jaw may seem like an isolated structure, confined to your mouth and face. In fact, your jaw has close, intimate ties to your entire body—which is why symptoms of jaw tension can manifest in many more places than we may initially realize.
Yoga therapists know that what happens in one area of our mind-body-spirit systems affects all of the others. The healthy functioning of your jaw is fundamental to your health and well-being. If you cannot bite, chew, or swallow, you cannot take in nourishment with ease. Beyond survival, your mouth is essential to self-expression and thriving: laughing, crying, singing, kissing, connecting through words and ideas, all fundamental expressions of our humanity.
Yoga for jaw pain?!?
Temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD) affects 31% of the population and occurs across all age groups, including elders and children. It is at least twice as common among the female-bodied. Regardless of gender or age, many of us will experience a tight or painful jaw at some point in our lives. Exploring the varied causes and repercussions of jaw tension throughout the body can help us to gain an understanding of the interconnectedness of the entire body, mind, and spirit.
Detail of the TMJ*
Detail of the TMJ*
Yoga therapy can help you learn more about how your whole body is wired together, including the sophisticated instrument for surviving and thriving that is your jaw—and then learn more about what you can do to help yourself. When approached with a particular focus, I’ve seen in my private practice that yoga can be a wonderful resource for healing jaw tension. For example, mindfulness and meditation help us to work with both mind and body. Gentle facial self-massage and practice building interoception (the sense of what’s happening in the body) can bring relief from tension as well as information about its patterns.
Try it now
I often work with four “core actions,” simple postural-alignment techniques you can practice anytime, anywhere. These actions focus on the jaw, shoulder girdle, hips, and feet. Let’s begin with your jaw. Have you ever practiced lion-face pose? To do one version of this yoga asana, sit comfortably, with your spine upright. Take in a full breath, then lean forward and exhale (maybe with a roar!) through your open mouth, sticking your tongue way out toward your chin. Inhale through your nose to sit up tall, and exhale to repeat.
Now let’s practice lion pose with a more nuanced approach. Stand tall in front of a mirror. Open and close your mouth slowly, with awareness. Feel into the dynamics of this movement: Does one side open faster than the other? Looking at your reflection in the mirror, can you see how your mouth changes shape? Which side opens wider? Does the lower lip pull to the right or left?
To really make a difference in jaw tension patterns we need to look beyond the jaw itself, and understand how the rest of the body is involved. When we add the other core actions in shoulders, hips, and feet, we can tune in to how restrictions in the jaw correlate with tensions elsewhere in the body. These core actions can be included in yoga therapy practices to support the relief of jaw tension. Building awareness in this way can help you to notice your habits and support unraveling tension in not just your jaw, but everywhere in your body-mind-spirit.
Cator Shachoy, C-IAYT, is a yoga therapist, craniosacral practitioner, and mindfulness and meditation instructor. The author of The TMJ Handbook: A Therapeutic Guide to Relieving Jaw Tension and Pain with Yoga and Mindfulness, she has an inclusive private practice in the San Francisco Bay Area and teaches workshops internationally.
*From Shachoy, C. (2024). The TMJ handbook: A therapeutic guide to relieving jaw tension and pain with yoga and mindfulness, published by Shambhala. Adapted from Sills, F. Foundations in craniosacral biodynamics, vol. one and two, published by North Atlantic Books. Shared with permission.
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