What your Face Mask is doing to your Jaw

For all us mask wearers out there. 

 

Have you been experiencing headaches and feeling tension in your face and jaw?

 

We have all got to work out how to use our faces differently now that we are wearing masks much of the time.

 

At Performance Medicine, we have noticed an increase in jaw tension (even in ourselves!) in our clients from their mask wearing.  

 

Are you doing any of these common things? 

❗Bracing your teeth and jaw

❗Pushing your lower jaw forward (??trying to keep your mask on?)

❗Holding your ears and face generally tighter

❗Letting your chin poke forward and rounding your shoulders

❗Pushing the volume of your voice

❗Taking shorter, shallower breaths

❗Smelling your own breath 😫

 

Some easy tips to help are

✅ Release your jaw and tongue by putting your tongue on the roof of your mouth

✅ Watch your posture – long relaxed neck 

✅ Alter the tension of the mask so it is not hurting your ears (or use an ear saver)

✅ Don’t forget to breathe!

✅ Don’t force your voice’s volume

✅ Over articulate your words (so that we can understand you)

✅ Eat mints 😂

 

If you are having trouble with headaches or neck pain that is stopping you doing what you need to do, please reach out to us! We are a team or experts in neck, jaw and facial pain. 

 

Keep a look out for our next blog with neck and face exercises…..