The Spiritual-Emotional side of TMJ Pain & Dysfucntion
TMJ pain and dysfunction is something most people have some experience with. Visiting a dentist, even for a routine cleaning, can bring about some level of experiencing tight jaw muscles. For those who have lived with chronic TMJ issues can usually trace back the cause to specific situation or genetics. What isn’t as commonly spoken about is the spiritual-emotional components of why jaw tension may manifest. The most common emotion associated with jaw tension is anger. In our world it is more accepted for men to express their anger than women. It is seen as not “lady-like” to show anger and therefore women have quite literally bitten their tongues (and clenched their jaws) to repress what should be a natural expression of emotion. This fact lends itself to the statistic that women are diagnosed with TMJ disorder five times more frequently than men. This can lead to “chewing our emotions” with coping mechanisms like emotional eating, or on the other end of the spectrum, not being able to eat at all because we feel so “full of emotion.”
Some reflective questions to ponder
What level of stress has been present in my daily life?
Have I been processing or expressing my emotions?
Do I have trouble letting those close to me know how I really feel?
Do I feel heard, understood, and supported in my emotional being?
What do I need to say that I’m not saying?
Do I feel connected spiritually? (This is a non-religion-based inquiry.)
Addressing the pain from multiple levels
When we begin to look at pain and dysfunction from more than just a physical lens, we can address the root cause, which means it is far less likely to be as prevalent and persistent in our lives. Emotional disconnect or disharmony can manifest into chronic illness and pain. Jaw issues often point to unprocessed emotions and not having the open and honest spaces to communicate these emotions. Often people will couple TMJ massage with therapy or somatic body work so they can process through emotions and trauma in various ways. Because we are complex and varied individuals with different backgrounds and needs, this can look like something different from one person to the next. The jaw and hips are very intricately woven together, and it is said that the jaw/throat has an intimate relationship with the pelvic floor, the muscular area around the genitals. Usually if one is tight, so is the other. Pelvic floor issues can manifest as pain in the genital region, constipation, hemorrhoids, pain with vaginal sex, lower back or sacral pain, and difficulties with urination such as peeing a little while coughing or sneezing. This is partly because the jaw is, energetically, the space through which we express our feelings, and the pelvic floor is often where we hide them. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to take inventory of your emotional state when addressing dysfunctional disorders such as TMJ.
Feel free to contact us to book a TMJ Massage soon.