21/04/2024
It’s common for people to hold their stress & emotional tension in their jaw, shoulders, and upper back. In TCM this pattern relates to a ‘stagnation of liver qi’… this can be related to a lack of smooth flowing communication between the body systems and the nervous system feeling stuck in a stressed state. This pattern is associated with headaches (particularly tension type, temporal and radiating from the traps), poor digestion (alternating constipation/diarrhoea, bloating), low energy when stressed, bad PMS & moodiness, period cramps, cycle irregularities, and disturbed sleep (waking at around 1-3am). Stress & unregulated emotions are a huge causative factor in the ‘stagnation of liver qi’.
How do I address this in clinic?
✨ acupuncture points on the body to address the underlying causes
✨ facial massage & Gua Sha to relax the face muscles
✨ acupuncture locally on the face to release tension in the jaw 😬👉😌
✨ cupping for the back & shoulders 😍🤤
✨ herbal medicine to address the underlying cause 🌿
✨ often a good quality magnesium supplement is recommended
✨ lifestyle advice to help people chill out 😎🧘♀️☕️ (e.g. mindfulness practices throughout the day, deep breathing/sighing, reducing coffee, regular exercise, journaling to help regulate emotions such as anxiety, frustration & resentment, good food at regular intervals, etc)
Hope this helps or you find it useful! 🤗
Alex 🌱