“It’s only when you learn to relax that you actually become aware of how much tension you have been holding”
– Dr. Joseph Caraccilo
There is extensive literature out there on how these muscles hold tremendous amounts of tension and emotional stress. This is not much of a surprise because the major muscle of mastication (chewing), the masseter is the strongest muscle in the body with regards to strength to weight ratio. Working with the other muscles of mastication, the pterygoids can produce 200 pounds of force on the molars.
Therefore such powerful muscles can store a significant amount of tension before it becomes noticeable and you actually feel discomfort.
As reported on ABC News, Dr Harold Menschel, whose Florida- based dental practice The TMJ & Facial Pain Institute said that he’s convinced the rising levels of stress have increased the number of cracked teeth he mends.
The Technique
- The actual technique involves me wearing a finger cot, inserting my fingers into a patient’s mouth, and manually massaging the medial and lateral pterygoids from the inside while working on the masseter from the outside.
- The results are immediate and the relaxed state of the patient assists with the proper implementation of cervical vertebrae manipulation.
- The Facial muscles are the most neglected muscles of the body, the need to be massaged and worked on like other muscles.
- This technique helps to elongate the muscles of the face because when a muscle becomes tense it contracts and shortens and shortened muscles of the face have been shown to not only hold tons of stress but also increase the signs of facial aging.
