TMJ

by Lyn
(NSW)

Namaste Sarah, I would appreciate your advice in how best to manage a TMJ issue. I am a 54 year old female that has a rotation and tilt in the pelvis with mild scoliosis. I have constant tension from sacrum to C1 with centralised pain and restriction in lower thoracics, neck and shoulder, all worse on the right side, now magnified by fibromyalgia. I became aware of lower back discomfort in my late teens and it has progressed slowly throughout my life. I have maintained by mobility well throughout with good nutrition, osteopathic treatments, yoga, massage, cycling and meditation, no medical intervention with the exception of occasional over the counter pain relief. Ten years ago I had surgery removing the right lobe of my thyroid which was cancerous. The nodule was large and had been pushing on the trachea for some years prior causing gradual adjustments to my neck alignment to accommodate the mass, in particular tilting the head back and to the right. During the post surgery years the tilt has remained with the head feeling drawn back and to the right by tension down the neck to the thoracics (plough pose is one of my favourites for relief). Two years ago I did some Feldenkrais and became aware of tension in my jaw which has progressed with constant discomfort and I am now experiencing distressing changes in the alignment of my bite. This period of time has been very stressful from other life factors including dental work and the discovery of periodontal disease causing me to eat mainly on the left side of my mouth which is where much of the pain/discomfort in my jaw emanates from. Any insights would be very much appreciated.
Lyn