Jaw pain and tension
Where does it come from, and what to do about it
Good afternoon, shining stars of New Day 🤩
A couple times lately, over the past few months, I’ve been asked, “What have you learned over the last 10 years in practice as a chiropractor and Network Spinal practitioner? As a business owner? As a person??”
I’ve been asking myself that question many times, especially over the last several months that I’ve been in the midst of a re-imagining and re-focusing for myself and our New Day community ☀️💖🌀☀️
One of the biggest things I’d say is that I feel more and more like I have a special role in this community with you all, because I have the opportunity to touch (literally and figuratively) so many lives every single day and week.
Because of all the touching, there are things I’m able to pick up on, through working with you all in our little microcosm. “Trends,” if you will.
A big part of my job, I think, is to pick up on those signs, symptoms, and trends and share them with you in a way that hopefully brings healing to us all 🔍☀️🌀
This is where being able to write, blog, and send it to you in an email takes on an even greater importance. Thank you for keeping this channel of communication between us open! 🤗🌍🌀
Right now what am I noticing? Jaw tension. Jaw pain. Tension in the face and sides of your skull 💥💥
MANY of you have noticed this in yourselves right now. And I have noticed it too– in myself!
For some of you who haven’t been tuned into this issue yet, I have focused on helping you discover this jaw and face tension when you are on the table at New Day ✨
Puzzling over our jaw tension and pain can REALLY send us down a rabbit hole, just like so many thoughts of pathology. Let me share a few things about this that I think are important to keep in mind.
THIS is my favorite diagram of the TMJ region that I was able to find online (hopefully I’m not violating any copyrights by sending it to you!) Notice the MANY things that are part of the equation– muscles, bones, ligaments, the teeth and your bite (yes teeth pain can be part of all of this!
Also (not shown) NERVES and the upper cervical spine!!
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It’s not a separate issue
Just like so many things, when considered medically or allopathically and NOT holistically, we can suddenly go down the rabbit hole when we think of it as a new, separate problem.
“Oh no! Now, not only do I have a bad right shoulder and left hip, but now I have jaw TMJ to work on!”
Not to sound like a hater, because we all know that there is a time and place for a medical/allopathic, more parts-based approach.
But slapping the name “TMJ” on the problem, (which is simply the name of a joint that everyone has 2 of, by the way, NOT a descriptor for the mechanism causing this issue) so that you can add that diagnosis to your list and have something else to keep yourself busy trying to fix for the next 3 months, is probably not going to bring the healing you desire 😊😂🙏
2. Look at the big picture
The big picture for your nervous system, spine, and body, is that there are different yet related ways that we hold tension in our bodies in response to stress and/or the PERCEPTION of stress (based on our past experiences and conditioning).
Imagine that right now, you are on a roller coaster and you are about to take a huge drop-off, followed by a turn upside down. Imagine it like it was really about to happen 🎢😅😱
Now, stop and focus on the feeling in your face and jaw.
It is highly likely that simply IMAGINING yourself on a roller coaster about to take a dive caused an increase in tension in the area of your TMJ. (None of this means don’t go on roller coasters, by the way. This is an exercise in awareness)
And if that one didn’t work, try imagining that you are laying on a table, about to get a huge strip of your body hair removed by waxing. Your jaw and face would definitely tense up, I think 😱
What potential stressor are you gearing up for right now? What are you resisting– what do you NOT want to have happen? What activities, people, thoughts, and ways of being have your nervous system saying “uh oh!” or “oh, no!” 🙏🌀💥
There are probably a few that you can think of, even if you’re not convinced that they are contributing to tension in your jaw. There are probably more than a few that are subconscious.
You might not know the answer. But to ask yourself what negative scenarios you might be gearing up for is a question worth asking, because that is the underlying big picture for what’s happening in your jaw and nervous system. And lately, perhaps, with increased frequency and severity compared to a few months ago.
3. But we aren’t going to ignore it!
Looking at the “big picture” and the underlying issue is actually NOT an invitation to ignore what your body is telling you 😊
This direction is one of my least favorite potential pitfalls in the world of holistic healing.
To say, “The problem isn’t really my jaw, it’s actually in my whole life, body, mind, and spirit!” and then to go about your daily life like nothing is happening is the OPPOSITE of healing. That’s disconnecting. It’s what some would call a “spiritual bypass.” 😂💥🌀
You may be aware of tension in your jaw and/or an experience of TMJ dysfunction. You may have tried to make it go away. You may have tried to learn about it and analyze it, perhaps going down a Google rabbit hole.
But have you actually spent time becoming aware of it? Focusing on feeling it, noticing it, observing it, and NOT trying to fix it or explain it? 💥💥💥
Part of your brain is not going to want to let you do that. It will feel like a waste of time. Or you just won’t even be able to because your conscious mind is so busy and distracted.
This is why Network Spinal was created. This is why SRI (the breathwork) Donny Epstein’s other modality was created. We are giving you a time and a place and an increased ability to be present with yourself, your body, situations, and other people that is going to help you on and off the table.
Use the time during your adjustments to do this. If you’re having trouble, please speak up and let me know what’s occurring for you so that I can be more helpful to you 😊
4. You are the canary in the coal mine
If you’re reading this, you are probably one of the relatively few people out in the world who is actually in a practice of becoming consciously aware through healing your spine and nervous system’s fight or flight based, reactive tendencies of disconnection. Congratulations 💥
As such, you might be feeling and noticing things that other people are also experiencing, but might not be tuned into yet.
Consider that this is true for your jaw tension, and whatever else you might feel that you are dealing with.
But being in-tune– being an empath or whatever you want to call it– isn’t a burden.
It’s a privilege and a major help to each of us personally as we go through life in a process of feeling and noticing, and then being able to make decisions that are congruent with what’s actually happening. It’s like you’re several steps ahead in the direction other people and the world are already going 💓☀️🌍
Your process helps you, and it helps those around you as we go into this fall and winter of whatever’s next.
Thank you for reading, New Day, and I look forward to hearing about your experience with jaw pain and tension, or whatever else is in your awareness, at your next adjustment 💖
