kicker naturally headache free
By Kelsie Kenefick
Clench … and Release
Is jaw tension contributing to your headaches ?
EVERYONE CARRIES TENSION DIFFERENTLY . In the face of bad news , some people tense their shoulders ; others tense their neck . But if you hold your tension in your jaw or grind your teeth , this could be leading to more than just a sore mouth .
Tension in the jaw — and the resulting tension radiating from the jaw — can cause muscle tension headaches and contribute to migraines by restricting blood flow . That ’ s why relaxing your jaw is crucial to eliminating headache pain .
Some people are aware that they clench or grind their teeth , but others have no idea they are doing it — for example , people who grind their teeth when they sleep . Here are some questions that can help you determine whether you hold tension in the jaw area :
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Does your jaw ever feel sore ?
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Are your teeth wearing ?
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Has your partner told you that you grind your teeth while you are sleeping ?
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Are your teeth touching right now or are they slightly apart ?
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Is your tongue relaxed and lying on the bottom of your mouth or is it holding tension and touching the roof of your mouth ?
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Has your dentist told you it looks like you grind your teeth or recommended a night splint ?
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Can you easily open your jaw to three finger widths without straining ?
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Do you experience clicking or popping in your jaw ?
There are many reasons people have excess tension in their jaw . People clench or grind their teeth when they are feeling physical pain , repressing anger or holding back something they want to say . Problems can also result from poor dental work or a motor vehicle
accident , which can throw the jaw out of alignment , creating temporomandibular joint ( TMJ ) disorders .
Dentists often prescribe night splints if a person has a problem with clenching or grinding . These splints can help protect the teeth from damage and wear , but they generally do not get to the root of the problem — the contraction of the muscles in the jaw .
That ’ s why it pays to familiarize yourself with the bones and muscles in the TMJ area . Take particular notice of the masseter and pterygoid muscles ( Fig . 1 ), as these are the muscles that generally constrict when people clench and / or grind their teeth . The masseter ,
Figure 1
Masseter
DEEPER VIEW
Lateral Pterygoid Medial Pterygoid
located directly below the surface of the skin , is the primary muscle used for chewing , talking , and opening and closing the mouth . The supporting pterygoid muscles are deeper and can be felt only from within the mouth .
Constriction in the masseter and pterygoid muscles creates jaw tension , but it can also create increased muscle tension in the head that radiates into the temples , causing the temporalis muscles to tighten . This can , in turn , lead to headaches .
TAKING CONTROL
Excess clenching or grinding can damage your teeth — and necessitate very expensive dental work — but it is also preventable . You simply need to become aware of
44 HEAD WISE | Volume 1 , Issue 2 • 2011