Many of my patients say: “Oh, my posture is awful”. “If only I could keep myself properly positioned at the desk, my neck would feel so much better”.

So why it is so difficult to keep our bodies perfectly aligned even though we know how our bodies should look like?

Throughout my practice as massage therapist and working with my own body I came to realize that instead of pushing against myself, it is much easier to add something new, and the old inefficient patterns will fall out effortlessly.

The first step to any change is awareness.
Breathing is the primal rhythm of our bodies. Paying attention to it is the key. It will tell you a lot about yourself. Feel the wave raising from your stomach and moving up to the chest as you inhale. Observe the abdomen passively falling and then the chest gently collapsing as the air effortlessly leaves your lungs on exhalation. Did you notice any tensions hindering that smooth flow of air? Try to let go of these tensions. How does it affect your breathing? Do you feel any difference in the tension at your back, neck and shoulders?

Start by adding small breaks to your daily routine to listen to what your body has to tell you. Take a short walk. Add to your life. Let someone with expertise give you a different perspective and help you. Sometimes all that is needed is a little push in the right direction. See your massage therapist to release those tensions, take a yoga class or Tai-Chi.

Keep a positive outlook. Pain should not be your sole focus. But don’t ignore it either by keeping yourself busy or taking pain killers.

Body tissues have memory of their own, and all traumas that you experience tend to accumulate and cause problems. Disappearance of pain and discomfort will follow in due time as your body regains its innate balance.

Many people are now suffering from TMJ dysfunction and are seeking massage therapy that offers hands on, drug-free approach of releasing muscle tension to eliminate the pain and improve the quality of life.

Temporomandibular joint dysfunction is a broad term referring to problems with the jaws and their functioning. It is commonly referred to as “TMJ”. This system is very complex and problems are caused by a variety of factors. However while many of my patients have suffered from a variety of symptoms, that can easily be related to the imbalances of the muscles, connective tissues and bones forming the jaw.

The temporomandibular system consists of two major components: the temporomandibular joint or TMJ, and the neuromuscular system.

TMJ – This is the term that specifically refers to the joints that connect your lower jaw, or mandible to the temporal bone of your skull.  The temporal bone also houses the ear and many other important structures responsible for the sense of balance. These two joints are found just in front of the ears. Their close proximity to the ear is why some patients experience ear symptoms and can often hear the joints pop or crack.

Neuromuscular – This system is the nerves and muscles which work the temporomandibular system. The muscles that directly move the jaw are spanning from the top of your head to the middle of your neck, but it is important to realize that the muscles that move your jaws are interconnected with structures that are inside your skull, neck, shoulders and the back. That is why TMJ problems are often related to poor postural habits such as slouching at the desk or propping your head on one side with your hand while reading a book.

Temporomandibular disorders rarely have a single cause. Everybody presents with an individual combination of factors that are determined during history taking and clinical exam.

Acute trauma to the jaws such as a car accident, a fall, a punch, etc. can cause damage to the muscles or joint. Sometimes trauma to the joint can cause chronic damage which may eventually contribute to a TMJ problem at a later time.

Bruxism refers to grinding and clenching of the teeth. Some do this while awake but more often it is done while sleeping. This bruxing is done by the jaw muscles and by the morning they can be painful due to fatigue. This constant pressure also can damage the TMJs over time.

Emotional stress often plays an integral role in the development of TMJ. Stress increases both the severity and duration of bruxism while asleep. Also, many will subconsciously clench or grind their teeth more while awake during times of stress. The other way stress contributes to TMJ is that during times of stress your pain sensitivity and susceptibility to inflammation will increase. As a result you are more likely to experience symptoms of TMJ or other pains that already exist. That is why the relaxation and stress management is a major component in the treatment of TMJ.
Read this article for in depth analysis of how emotional stress can cause TMJ dysfunction.

Ergonomic – Your job and how you do it can contribute to TMJ and related problems. If you work at a computer all day, for example, you may be holding your head in such a way that places strain on your jaw. TMJ is the highest joint in the chain that starts at your feet and goes on through the hips, pelvis and up the spine. Any imbalances accumulated along the way may manifest themselves as the TMJ dysfunction. Hence any treatment of TMJ has to include postural check and correction of muscular or connective tissue tensions anywhere in the body.

I offer great massage treatments for TMJ dysfunction. Because of the factors mentioned above we will start with full postural check up and thorough health history taking. All imbalances at the feet, hips, back, neck and shoulders are addressed during the treatments. I use a variety of subtle, non invasive and yet effective techniques so we keep the focus on relaxation. The treatment will include 4 to 6 one hour sessions, however most patients experience significant relief after the first massage.

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So why is it so difficult to keep our bodies perfectly aligned even though we know how our bodies should look like?

Moshe Feldenkrais who pioneered the field of mind and body connection has pointed in his book The Potent Self that habitually improper posture is not as simple as it may appear to someone who can think it can be remedied by substituting by a better posture. When you do so, the conscious control is overriding. The overworked muscles fatigue, and the inhibited ones waste away, the whole spatial body image is distorted. The body sensation is found unreliable and is compensated for by an increased use of the eyes to supplement and correct the faulty muscular account of the body in space. Every action now needs a considerable time of thinking out and preparing for. Constant attention to the muscular tension is difficult to maintain for long periods, hence the sensation of tiredness, and falling back to habitually faulty posture.

That is why it is very difficult to just put yourself in the ideal position. An effort to do so usually results in the body being voluntarily held in a very rigid state. The breathing becomes restricted as we feel aches in the areas that work to keep us erect, such as low back, neck and shoulders.

Throughout my practice as massage therapist and working with my own body I came to realize that instead of pushing against myself, it is much easier to add something new and the old inefficient patterns will fall out effortlessly.

The first step to any change is awareness.

Breathing is the primal rhythm of our bodies. Paying attention to it is the key. It will tell you a lot about yourself. Feel the wave raising from your stomach and moving up to the chest as you inhale. Observe the abdomen passively falling and then the chest gently collapsing as the air effortlessly leaves your lungs on exhalation. Did you notice any tensions hindering that smooth flow of air? Try to let go of these tensions. How does it affect your breathing? Do you feel any difference in the tension at your back, neck and shoulders?

Start by adding small breaks to your daily routine to listen to what your body has to tell you. Take a short walk. Change doesn’t have to be painful. Add to your life. Let someone with expertise give you a different perspective and help you. Sometimes all that is needed is a little push in the right direction. See your massage therapist to release those tensions, take a yoga class or Tai-Chi.

Keep a positive outlook and keep in mind that the pain is the last signal your body sends to let you know that it has a problem, and it needs your attention. It should not be your sole focus. But don’t ignore it either by keeping yourself busy or taking pain killers.

Body’s tissues have memory of their own, and all traumas that you experience tend to accumulate and cause these problems. Disappearance of pain and discomfort will follow in due time as your body regains its innate balance.