Do you feel tension or even pain in your jaw?
Lately, I’ve been dealing with some jaw tension myself and I know that it’s nothing
pleasant!
In this video, I am going to share things and exercises that helped me.
By the end of this video, I promise you will have at least one concrete step you can take
right now to release tension from your jaw.
Let’s start.
Hi!
I am Katarina, speech language pathologist and here on this channel, I share practical
tips about using your voice in a healthy way.
So, if this is a topic that interests you, consider subscribing to this channel and hitting
that bell notification icon so that you don’t miss any of my future videos.
Why would a voice coach or speech-language pathologist talk about jaw tension?
Because tension or even pain in these muscles can affect your voice.
Tight jaw muscles can directly affect voice quality and contribute to voice straining.
Or is it the other way around?
Can vocal strain contribute to jaw tension?
Or is there something else going on?
There are many different causes of jaw tension.
And it would make sense that the solution for your particular problem will depend on
the cause of the pain or strain.
Sometimes, it takes time to figure out the root cause of your tight jaw.
The most common causes of jaw tension are: Teeth grinding or clenching, stress, misaligned
teeth and improper bite, misaligned head, neck or back posture, excessive chewing for
example gum chewing, excessive jaw movements like jaw jutting, inability to move the jaw
and tongue independently of each other, mouth breathing, but also arthritis or other chronic
disorders.
Different specialists can help with different causes.
For example, if you have arthritis or a similar systemic chronic problem, speak to your rheumatologist.
If you have underbite, overbite or misaligned teeth in any other way, speak to your dentist
to see if this is adding to jaw tension.
Also, if you are grinding your teeth during the day or at night, speak to your dentist
who can make you a night guard.
This was my case earlier this year.
I never clenched my teeth before but due to a hugely stressful situation in my life, I
subconsciously started to clench my teeth.
So the cause of my jaw tension was stress that led to jaw clenching.
Stress and trauma can be a trigger of jaw tightness and it usually starts subconsciously.
It took me several weeks to realize what I was doing.
And only with the help of my dentist, I realized the cause of my tooth pain and jaw tension.
I had a night guard made to prevent teeth grinding and jaw clenching at night and I
added some massages and other exercises during the day, which I am going to share with you
later in this video.
If you have a locked jaw, so when your jaw gets stuck in one position, if your jaw is
clicking when you open and close your mouth, or if you have pain in this joint, talk to
your dentist or your doctor and ask for a referral to a specialist who can help with
TMJ disorder or temporomandibular joint disorder.
These specific problems are usually caused by a dislocated disc that is inside the temporomandibular
joint.
Here in Canada, it may be a specialized dentist or chiropractor who can help with this problem.
In your country, it may be someone else.
If you are experiencing vocal strain, tension or even pain when speaking, and you are ready
to work towards a free, strong and confident voice, you can apply to our Vocal Freedom
System coaching program.
Check out the links in the description below this video.
To release tension from the jaw muscles, here are my top 5 tips that you can do right away:
Tip #1 Become aware The absolute first step is to become aware
of your jaw position and muscle work in this area throughout the day.
If you are a jaw clencher or teeth grinder, check in with your mouth position regularly.
Place post-its around your home or work table to remind yourself to check in regularly.
Tip #2 Improve your overall alignment Observe your overall body alignment throughout
the day and during vocal tasks.
Are you hunched over a computer or smartphone all day long?
Do you carry your head more forward?
Where are your ears in relation to your shoulders?
Your habitual body alignment during the day may be the cause of jaw tension.
Also notice how you move your jaw when speaking or singing.
Do you jut your jaw forward or do you tend to push it back?
Do you slide your jaw to the side?
Do you tend to overwork your jaw or chew gum?
Use a mirror or record yourself on a video to uncover these patterns.
Once you know how you align and move your body, develop a plan to correct it.
Put a mirror beside your desk to improve habitual posture when sitting.
Improve ergonomics of your work space to avoid overworking your neck and back muscles.
Do regular strength training, or do yoga, pilates or similar physical exercises that
will improve your overall body, head and neck alignment.
Tip #3 Drop the jaw Sometimes, the simplest exercises are the
most effective.
Here is one exercise like that.
Place the tongue tip behind your upper front teeth.
Allow your teeth to come apart, keep your mouth slightly open.
Now, close the lips, while keeping the tongue and jaw in the same position.
Let this be a natural relaxation rather than forced movement.
If this is difficult to achieve, do it while lying down.
Gravity will help open the jaw effortlessly.
Tip #4 Massage the Jaw Muscles Start your day with a light massage for a
few minutes.
It can be as simple as warming up the masseter muscle (which is right here) with your fingers
with circular motions.
Use as much pressure as it is comfortable for you.
Massage well around the edges of your jaw.
Finally, use the palms of your hands to gently press down on the muscles and pull down until
your jaw gets loose and hangs
down freely.
Breathe normally while massaging the cheek muscles.
If you want a more detailed jaw massage, let me know in the comments and I will make a
video.
Before I give you tip #5, here is a: Bonus tip
Consider the stress and pressures of everyday life on your jaw tension.
In my case, it played a huge role.
If that is true for you, engage in some mindfulness or breathing exercises or meditation.
Talk to someone you trust about your situation.
And practice self-compassion.
Tip #5 Move your jaw independently of the tongue
Here is a fun exercise.
Very often, our jaw and tongue want to move together.
And tension is created when too many muscles or structures work together unnecessarily.
To separate the movements of tongue and jaw, do this.
Open your mouth slightly.
Put the tongue tip behind your upper teeth.
Keep the tongue there throughout this exercise.
Close and open your jaw while keeping the tongue behind your upper teeth.
Now, add the NG sound to the movement.
Alternate between the silent version and the NG version.
4 times silently and 4 times on NG.
Like this.
Keep the rate of movement and the range of movement same for both silent and voiced options.
Well done.
If you want more exercises for your voice, join my Vocal Gym.
This is an online membership program that delivers one exercise for your voice every
single day.
Keep your voice in top shape with short 2-minute exercises.
Click the link here or in the description below to learn more about this program.
If you found this video helpful, click the like button and share it with your friends.
Check out my other videos right here below.
I hope to see you soon.
Bye.