TMJ Specialist Portland: Gentle, Root-Cause TMJ Therapy
If you’re dealing with jaw pain, clenching, clicking, headaches, or that stubborn ear pressure that never seems to go away, you’re not alone. TMJ symptoms are incredibly common—especially in women—and most people spend years trying mouth guards, Botox, or forceful treatments without ever addressing the actual root cause.
As a TMJ specialist in Portland with 20 years of experience in bodywork, craniosacral therapy, myofascial release, and myofunctional therapy, I take a gentle, holistic, nervous-system–aware approach designed to help you experience real, lasting relief.
This is TMJ therapy created for people who want effective results without forceful adjustments or invasive treatment.
Let’s dive into what makes this approach different—and why it works.
Why TMJ Pain Happens (and Why So Many Treatments Don’t Work)
Most TMJ symptoms don’t come from “just stress” and they’re rarely solved with a night guard.
The real root cause is often a combination of:
chronic muscle tension
dysfunctional swallowing or tongue patterns
hypermobility
past injuries
nervous system dysregulation
total-body compensation patterns
Your jaw doesn’t exist in isolation—it's directly influenced by your tongue, neck, diaphragm, airway, posture, and your stress and trauma history.
That’s why TMJ treatments that only target the jaw often fail.
A Gentle, Whole-Body Approach to TMJ Treatment
My work integrates:
Craniosacral therapy
Myofascial release
Myofunctional therapy
Nervous-system regulation
Inside the mouth TMJ work (gentle, effective, trauma-aware)
This approach helps your jaw unlearn painful patterns so relief becomes sustainable—not temporary.
Who I Work With
The work mostly with women who are dealing with:
-headaches or migraines
-jaw pain, clicking or popping
-clenching from stress or burnout
-ear fullness or pressure
-hypermobility (diagnosed or undiagnosed)
These patterns are almost always intertwined with nervous system dysregulation—and together, we identify what’s driving your symptoms and retrain your system so they don’t return.
What TMJ Treatment Looks Like
Most clients begin with a structured 6-session series over 2 months that includes:
Gentle hands-on TMJ therapy
Inside the mouth work (non-forceful, trauma-informed)
Nervous system practices
Myofunctional exercises to address tongue and swallow patterns
Home care that supports long-term change
Most people see substantial improvement within the first 6 sessions.
More chronic cases—especially disc displacement or long-term tension—can require several months of treatment.
But the goal is always the same:
Relief that lasts because the root cause has been addressed.
Common TMJ Myths I See Every Day
If you’ve been told any of these, you’re not alone:
“A night guard will fix it.”
“Botox is the solution.”
“It’s all stress-related.”
“TMJ is something you just live with.”
Most of these approaches only suppress symptoms—not the underlying dysfunction.
How to Choose a TMJ Specialist in Portland
When looking for a provider, make sure they:
-Get to the root cause (not just mask symptoms)
-Understand airway, breathing, and tongue mechanics
-Offer gentle—not forceful—TMJ work
-Are trained in intraoral manual therapy
-Understand hypermobility and nervous system dysregulation
-Personalize treatment for your unique patterns
If the only recommendations are “use a night guard” or “get Botox,” it's a sign that the underlying cause isn’t being addressed.
My Treatment Philosophy
My approach is:
✨ Nervous-system aware
✨ Trauma-informed
✨ Holistic
✨ Gentle and effective
✨ Designed to create sustainable change—not quick fixes
Your jaw is not separate from your story. I work with both.
Ready for Relief?
As a TMJ specialist serving the Portland, Oregon area, I work with clients from Lake Oswego, Southwest Portland, Sellwood, Milwaukie, Tigard, Tualatin, Beaverton, and West Linn. If you’re searching for “TMJ treatment Portland,” “TMJ specialist near me,” or “jaw pain relief Portland,” my practice offers gentle, root-cause therapy designed to help you experience long-term relief.
👉 Book your free initial TMJ consult here.
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