A number of different yoga teachers have mentioned the connection between jaw and hips. I, myself, have found this to be so. I’m looking for more information about this issue and would like some resources. Can anyone help?
Hi,
This is interesting, first time I ever hear of this. I searched all my literature on yoga and can’t find anything on this jaw/hip connection.
But I found something in my limited medical literature: If you place your fingers in front of either ear and open your jaw, you’ll feel changing shapes beneath your fingers. You are feeling the joint where the temporal bone of your skull attaches to your mandible (jaw)-[B]the joint that is called the temporomandibular joint or TMJ[/B]. This fascinating joint connects your jaw to your head. Ligaments, cartilage, fascia, an articular disc, muscles, nerves and blood vessels run in, around and through the TMJ.
Among the most common symptoms of TMJ dysfunction are the inability to open the mouth wide and a clicking or popping sound when the mouth opens or closes. In some cases, the jaw can even lock up.
Other TMJ symptoms can be severe headaches; loss of hearing; tinnitus (ringing in the ears); the sensation of an object in the throat; facial swelling; shoulder, cheek or jaw pain; neckache; tic douloureux (facial nerve pain); pain in or under the ear, the eye or upon swallowing; tooth pain; migraine; nausea; blurred vision and dizziness.
[B]A properly aligned spine helps the TM joint. Spinal and TMJ problems are often found together.[/B]
Read under spine also problems relating to the hips. And this is where yoga comes in. Because many of our health problems relate to bad posture and stress, yoga is in my view the perfect solution. Yoga helps to relax the body and ultimately brings you to a state of peace and harmony, this state is conducive in relaxing tense muscles such as the TMJ and other major muscles in the hips and pelvic area.
On the other hand yoga is designed to strenghten the spine and to gently correct bad posture. And a strong spine which is properly aligned will actually bring relief to affected joints and muscles. For this there is a host of asanas that will be very helpful.
You mentioned that different yoga teachers have mentioned this, why not ask them exactly what the relation is and perhaps you can then share there views here on the forum. You also mentioned that you have experienced this yourself, any chance of sharing your experience on the forum?
First time I hear of this. Very interesting. Would someone share other peculiarly “linked” organs-members ?
This past summer I attended an afternoon talk on the Mula Bhanda (MB) given by Richard Freeman and he spoke briefly about the connection between our soft palates and the perineum with regards to the MB. I have a colleague, who after having her daughter, has since experienced numbness and a lack of awareness of the pelvic floor. She was going to work with relaxing and “drawing up” the soft palate to see if that brought more awareness in MB. It has been awhile since, so I will check to see if she has been doing that practice with any benefits.
Jai Ma!
Thank you Nichole … in this light, the connection of larynx and genitals seems also plausible.
Here is something by Tias Little. Touches on jaw range of motion and tension near the end. Yoga Anatomy with Tias Little
I want to add this to the present discussion:http://www.yogaforums.com/forums/f18/tmj-temporo-mandibular-joint-232.html
The thread I linked to is not alive; it was begun in 2002 and last added to in 2004. It may serve us best to keep any discussion created by Mukunda’s responses on this current thread.
Namaste,
not sure where I got that from but it’s in my knowledge that these are all related to the opening of the body. You can start with opening the hips then it’s easier to open the chest and shoulder than you can let go the tension of the jaws. Jaw often refer to holding on, or not wanting to surrender.
When I do massage I check the jaws at first. This is a really good sign for tension holding, sames as the shoulder. On a more holistic view, I would certainly associate the jaw muscle with eating and with talking, and the hips with reporduction and excretions. Which are somehow all inter-related.
The symbolic meaning of a thigh jaw, or mouth and tight hips or buttock can also be interesting. In fact these are the two point in the body where there is an opening to the outside, so the relation cannot be over looked.
I think there is a lot relation between these two point, but it’s also a personal research 
light
Hi Damaru,
I find your post very interesting. I would like to comment on something you mentioned. I go about twice a month for a massage and recently I started out massage at a new lady around the corner from me. She would also first starting to feel my jaw and from there she would flow to the rest of my body. Anyway, I didn’t really understand the jaw feeling thing (my previous massagers didn’t do it) until I read your post and suddenly it makes sense to me now.
thanks for the insight.
[QUOTE=jansbloom;7451]A number of different yoga teachers have mentioned the connection between jaw and hips. I, myself, have found this to be so. I’m looking for more information about this issue and would like some resources. Can anyone help?[/QUOTE]
Hi jansbloom,
As the other people are describing in this forms, it sounds like a TMJ explanation. If you suffer from these symptoms, you should check out in getting a night guard. I am in no way suggesting that this will be an absolute cure for if you suffer from “TMJ” (Still see a doctor), but this will be a short-term solution to alleviating your jaw pain and protecting your teeth from grinding/clenching any further. Google “TotalGard” for affordable night guards … good luck!
- Dave
I had never considered the symbolic import that other posters mention of orifice structure and function between the mouth and perineum. Good stuff!
I am experiencing a hip, side of neck, back of shoulder (connected to the temporal mandibular joint-- it’s all connected) relationship that is slowly correcting itself – Core Strengthening and Yoga be praised. It all began by lying flat on my back more often which encouraged a release of right lumbar spine and the right gluteus medius. As my right hip is returning to it’s proper position I experience relaxing of the muscles on my right front of body and the holding that’s been pulling my head to the right is letting go . Lifting my inner ankle in Virabhadasana I is a great help.
It’s all very complicated and I won’t go into it (unless anyone is interested:oops:)
Also the flow of nadis through my hips has improved and altered my menstrual cycle (And yes, I know that it’s really, scientifically, controlled by the Pituitary gland at the base of the skull and lifestyle.:roll:)
I firmly believe that the nadis (like Acupuncture Meridians) form a web over our entire form and have a strong influence on what our bodies are telling us.
Brooke:)