On a visit to my dentist many years ago, he found so much tension in my jaw joint that I needed to start bringing daily consciousness to it. I realize that as I was releasing the jaw my posture was feeling better and my pelvic floor was relaxing as well. I was amazed to find the inter-connection between the jaw and the pelvis.
The jaw and pelvis are physiologically connected and the alignment and relaxation of each deeply affects the other. This fact is definitely up there on my list of top ‘aha’ body awareness tips.
For my clients that I share this concept with, it has shifted their body awareness forever by urging them to immediately ease up any tightness they’re holding unconsciously at these two major points in their body.
So, How is are the jaw and pelvis connected:
Early Embryo connection-The genesis of the jaw and pelvic connection starts at the embryological phase. At about day 15 in a phase called gastrulation there are two depressions that form on an embryo. One becomes the oropharyngeal membrane that eventually forms the mouth and the other is the cloacal membrane that eventually forms the openings of the urinary, reproductive and digestive tracts. They remain connected even as the spine develops and grows creating a greater space between them.
Fascial tissue link- the thin sheath of fascial tissue that envelopes and holds our inner body together and keeps us aligned includes a fascial line from the pelvis to the jaw.
From Midwives and Doulas-when helping women give birth midwives and doulas will often give the common tip of encouraging women to sigh and relax their throat and jaw as a means to release pelvic holding and allow for easier labour. Natural childbirth expert, Ina May Gaskin even coined the term “sphincter law” to explain that if the jaw and throat are relaxed then the buttocks and pelvis will be too.
Traditional Chinese Medicine connects the jaw and the pelvis through the meridian or energy channel of the gallbladder therefore when treating concerns in either region it is common to massage and use acupressure or acupuncture on specific points along the gallbladder meridian.
Research Studies by dentists and physiotherapists are exploring the connection between the jaw and pelvis. Notably, a 2009 study in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics from Hanover Medical School in Germany concluded that temporomandibular joint dysfunction plays an important role in the restriction of hip motion experienced by patients with complex regional pain syndrome and this indicated a connectedness between these two regions of the body.
Anatomically similar shapes-if you visualize the structure of the pelvic ‘bowl’ topped with hips on either side that move and reproductive and urolgical openings at the base and then visualize the jaw, it is quite similar in structure with your jaw joints at the top and the large opening of the mouth at the base.
“Holding on to anger, resentment and hurt only gives you tense muscles, a headache and a sore jaw from clenching your teeth. Forgiveness gives you back the laughter and the lightness in your life.” Joan Lunden
Symptoms of jaw tension
What does it feel like to have jaw tension?
You can feel discomfort or pain in the jaw, throat and neck. Your jaw can be locked, or you have this ‘clicking’ feeling when muscles move over the jaw joint when opening the mouth.
It can also be painful or impossible to completely open the mouth. It can give you hard times eating ice cream.
Other symptoms include a dry or burning sensation in the mouth, forehead or temple headache, buzzing or ringing in the ears and hearing loss.
Temporomandibular Joint Disorder
The temporomandibular joint is the joint where the mandible (the lower jaw) and the skull connect. Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ) is an umbrella term for acute or chronic pain in the jaws. The pain is caused because of the effects of physical stress on the structures around the joint, including the cartilage disk at the joint, muscles of face, neck and jaws, nearby ligaments and teeth. The largest of the cranial nerves, the trigeminal nerve, is going right through the joint. This nerve is responsible for sensations in the face and motor functions like biting, chewing and swallowing.
What to do if you have jaw tension?
Jaw massage. Start with rubbing your hand palms to get your hands nice and warm. Place your fingertips on each side of your face and give a light touch. You don’t need to press. Nevertheless, you use both your hands and press both sides of your face symmetrically.
Massage the inside of your mouth. With clean hands and clipped finger nails, massage the inside of your mouth and particularly the large muscles at the back of the mouth that are responsible for opening and closing the jaw. You will be amazed how hard these muscles can feel, almost like bones. Simply holding gentle pressure there can start to release some of the muscle tension.
Resisted opening. Put your thumb under your chin and give a little pressure. Now open your mouth while keeping the pressure from the thumb. Repeat this 10 times. This exercise gently stretches your jaw muscles.
Jaw stretching. Open your mouth as wide as you can with no particular focus, then slowly close it. Open your mouth again, but focus this time on opening the left side of your mouth as wide as you can. Repeat the exercise for the right side of your mouth.
Yoga poses that can integrate both the jaw and pelvis include squatting poses, cat cow pose and lion's pose.
Deep breathing will always bring you greater body awareness and remind you to let your jaw relax by letting it drop as you breath into your belly. Try for instance the ‘alternate nostril breathing’. Put your right thumb on your right nostril and push softly, so you can only breathe through your left nostril. Breathe in very slowly. Then remove your thumb (keep your hand where it is) from your nostril and softly close your left nostril with your ring finger. Breathe out slowly. Keep this nostril closed and breathe in. Now alternate again and close your right nostril with your thumb, breath in, breath out, and change again.
Sigh more often to get comfortable releasing tightness in your jaw and mouth.
Set a timer during the day (every 30 min) and make sure to check in to see if your jaw is relaxed and get up and move your body particularly your pelvis.
Smile! Smiling helps alleviating jaw tension, opens your throat (and helps emotions flowing!) and relaxes your facial muscles.
Remember simple daily awareness is always the best start.