Massage for TMJ

Trigger point therapy routine for TMJ by Annie Coomes

Learn the 5 muscles and the massage techniques to manage pain and misalignment of TMJj.

Book is available in softcover and digital download on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

This book is easy to read.
Apply techniques immediately

Safe for children, teens and adults.

Little neck muscles, big pain. Release the subocciptal muscles.

Suboccipital Muscles

Suboccipitals are buried deep under the neck muscles.  They move the head when you say yes or no throw your head back to laugh
Releasing the neck muscles will help you feel the short thick muscles.
Massage the long neck muscles from the base of your head in long strokes to the shoulders.
Next pinch and roll the muscles between your fingers.  As you do these motions, pull the muscles gently away from the neck.

Pinch and roll across the top of your shoulders(opposite hand to opposite shoulder).
If the muscles are really tight, reach back to your shoulder blade as far back as possible and rake your fingers to the front of the body. Work from arm towards spine.
You might feel the ropy muscles of the neck right next to the spine.  Rake across them as well working upwards towards the head.
Repeat as many times as necessary. Softening the neck and shoulders will help you get under the neck muscles to the subocciptials.
Now lets find those suboccipital muscles.
Lying down will get you out of gravity and relax the neck muscles.


They attach under the base of the head(occiput) to C1 and C2. Notice the vertical direction of two muscles and the diagonal(oblique) direction of the others.


Use your thumbs to stroke these small wide muscles.
Slightly moving the chin up and down, left and right and chin to the right and up and left and up.
This will help you find the oblique muscles.

Use your fingertips to press into the muscles, while staying off the bones.   The movements are ever so small.
Trigger points in these muscles are usually due to poor posture.  Pressing into the TP wait for signs of release(pulsing) until it stops.
I like to release my suboccipitals first thing in the morning.  With repeated practice you can release them quickly and easily, sitting, standing or lying down.

Benefits include:

• Increase blood flow
• more range of motion
• relief from a stiff neck
• relief from headache or neck tension
• relief of eye tension or pain

Hope this helps!  Leave me a comment or question I would love to hear from you .  Annie

Breathing to Integrate Trauma

When we experience trauma we loose our ability to remain calm and centered.  We become easily triggered and react to situations.  Unresolved physical, emotional and psychological pain freezes and becomes trapped in the layers of anatomy.  Our nervous systems must run on one or the other autonomic functions.  Sympathetic fight or flight/safety or parasympathetic/rest and digest function. 
Optimally one or the other is working while the other is resting at rest. 

Unresolved trauma can look and feel


Sympathetic agitation feels like this            

• trouble sleeping
• restlessness
• muscle tension
• rapid heart beat
• attraction to dangerous situatio
• angry or frustrated 
• quick to react - short tempered
• fearful - paranoid

Parasympathetic shut down feels like this

• spaciness & unfocused; forgetful
• helplessness
• hopelessness
• slow digestion
• depression
• chronic fatigue
• listlessness

In craniosacral therapy we can address these symptoms.  Trauma stops the continuous flow of electrial conductivity in the brain.  Sympathetic and parasympathetic work best when one system turns off and the other on.  Both cannot be running at the same time.  Total chaos insues and we see a barrage of symptoms starting to occur.

Working through a trauma takes dedication and a skilled professional to support you on this journey. Trauma is not like a physical injury.  Soreness, pain, swelling etc.

 But a sense of disconnection;  Need to control or the opposite-hopelessness.  

The lists above can help you to evaluate what you are physically feeling, emotionally reacting to and thoughts you might be thinking after a trauma.

Shifting your awareness to read subtle changes in your physical body, emotions/feeling and thoughts,

can help you begin to integrate the trauma physically instead of reacting from a heightened nervous state.

So how do we reeducate our neurons to rewire into healthy pathways? 

Start by Breathing!  Inhale and exhale through the nose.

Work towards bringing the breath down into your abdomen.

This can take some practice.  

Work up to 5-10 minutes in each sitting. 

This can take days, weeks, or months to accomplish.

But watch how your symptoms start to fade.

Once entrained in breath work the body will start to breath when it is stressed!!!  So amazing

Consider finding a counselor, massage therapist, craniosacral therapist, doctor that understands trauma.  And Breath!!!  Hope this helps and enjoy your day!

Oh my aching back: Neck pain relief

Stress is the main cause of TMJ.  Let me give you a craniosacral technique that will help to relieve pain and tension at the base of the head, where the head and C1 meet.  It is called the
atlanto-occipital region.


There are many muscles and ligaments that attach to these bones.
TMJ/tension in muscles of chewing, sleeping with the wrong pillow, neck and shoulder tension can be relieved with this simple technique over time.

Let's begin.  Find the ridge on the back of your head just behind your ears.  Look around a bit, might be higher or lower.  You are looking for a ridge that runs  from right to left between the ears.

Next find the bumps/mastoid process, at the base of your head and just above your neck vertebrae.
Feel just behind your earlobe.

Roll a hand towel and place between these two boney landmarksor use your fingers.  I  spread out my fingers and place them from ear to ear just under the ridge.  Let the weight of your head rest on your fingertips.

Start our with a small diameter roll.
Let the weight of the head sink into the roll.
Wait for softening in this area to occur.
You are accessing the fascia inside and outside of the cranial base.  The fascia will unwind in the muscles and surrounding structures.
If you feel pain in your neck - support it with a towel or stop the procedure.  Find something to support your neck and continue.

Your towel roll could be to high, unroll it a bit until it is comfortable.
Work up to a higher roll as you gain flexibility in the neck and base of the head.
This is a very relaxing technique.  If you do not feel relaxed with this procedure, than it is not for you.

Consult your doctor, massage therapist or craniosacral therapist.

Enjoy the benefits and leave a comment or question, I would love to hear from you.

Hello James,
You are asking about a mouth guard.  Most people I work with use a night guard.  Preventing the grinding is important.  Teeth are bones as well...so you are impacting more than the jaw when grinding.  Also, stretch your feet, ankles, hips and low back,  Check out essentrics.com for some of their short videos.  Short intro videos are all you need to release fascial lines.  Presently working on
TMJ self help ebook.   Will keep you posted.  AND thanks for reading!!!!!!!  Annie

Hello Everyone,

CST lecture for Low Back Pain Feb 25th, 9:00 a.m. @ One Root Herbothecary Prescott AZ
Sign up online @ www.transitionbodyworksaz.com or call 928-499-0867.
Bring Questions and concerns!  Look forward to seeing you there!

Introduction with Annie Coomes LMT

Hello there, Looking forward to talking with you thru video.

Pain and the Brain

One of the most challenging aspects of Cranial Sacral Therapy is explaining the benefits of cst with chronic pain. This video explains how the brain interprets pain cognitively, the limbic system adds an emotional component, and endorphins to block pain neurochemical components. Cranial Sacral therapy can help people to find relief and help to control pain responses in the nervous system. Enjoy this simple educational video on pain in the brain. Please share your ideas and experiences. Relax and Enjoy

Breath on a Cellular Level

We are talking about lineage rite now. When we let go and connect on a deep level with our souls purpose, we become directed on our path. CST work can help our cells to breath and release old stagnant energy. Realigning to our sense of self and life purpose. You can detox all you want but until your cells breath the breath of life detoxing will be an act of contrition. Free yourselves with cellular breathing. Schedule Today! Life only gives you speed bumps to awaken your beingness. If you feel this calling. Breath! Listen to what the body has to say. It will call on you and you will find body breathing for you. Just breath, it is free and the closest action toward spiritual awakening. Relax, Enjoy and find out how your body can heal you and enlighten your being.

Questions and Concerns

Hello Everyone, How can I help you? Is there anyone out there who is struggling with discomfort or tension deep in the body? I would invite you to ask questions and voice concerns. I would love to help you find a solution to your discomfort. Love to hear from you all! Feel free to comment, share what works, what doesn't and ask questions. I bet we can find an answer! Look forward to hearing from you.