When you were a child, did you ever play the game called Operation? Using tiny tweezers, you’d have to remove a bone without zapping the patient. The commercial for that game had a catchy jingle that ought to be updated to “the hip bone is connected to the jaw bone,” which is something that I recently learned!
I have a wonky hip, and it’s been troublesome for a while. I regularly visit a holistic chiropractor, trying to get to the root cause of the hip issue. My body has been adjusted and we’ve tinkered with my supplements. At a recent visit, I was introduced to the connection between the psoas muscle and the jaw. I discovered that there is actually a physical connection between jaws and hips, as Dr. Christine Matheson writes about here in her blog.
Apparently, my head is out of whack
In addition to regular chiropractic visits, I also see a brilliant massage therapist regularly. I shared with her that my chiropractor said we needed to work on my jaw. It took a full session to coax my mandible down to a normal place and reposition all the cranial sections back to where they should be! (Who knew that was even a thing??)
Sweet relief!
On the drive home, I couldn’t believe how different my face felt. I’ve known for years that my jaw would be tight even when my mind and the rest of my body felt relaxed. I’d gotten so used to it that I didn’t even think about it anymore. You know that feeling you get when you’ve been really worried and then everything is alright? That physical feeling of relief in your face? That’s what I was feeling. My right eye felt more open, my jaw was relaxed, my whole face felt so good! Why hadn’t I gotten this taken care of before?
Discomfort becomes normal over time
Sometimes we get so used to things the way they are, we don’t even notice how uncomfortable they are. Pain becomes normal and we adjust–and it can last for years. This phenomenon can also happen with physical symptoms and with other aspects of your life. For example, you could be living with fear or in unsupportive relationships or constantly on a treadmill, and never pause and consider that maybe it doesn’t have to be this way.
There’s more work to do
My jaw is tightening up again, which doesn’t surprise me. The fact that it was jammed into my cranium was just a symptom–I need to do some digging to find the root cause. It’s likely that one or more subconscious beliefs need to change–something I can handle. I’m so curious and ready to discover the real issue. Amazingly when my jaw is relaxed that pesky hip isn’t hurting either!
Can I help?
If you ever find yourself in the same situation where you realize you’ve been living with something uncomfortable for a long time, do yourself a favor and find a way to get some relief. You don’t have to keep it just because it’s been that way for a while. If I can help with the process, schedule a session!
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