Imagine if doing a few exercises a day with muscles of your head/mouth/neck area had the potential to improve your sleep, posture, allergies, asthma, headaches, breathing, jaw pain, dental issues, and more.
Myofunctional therapy does just that by focusing on restoring normal muscle function of the head and neck area. Most clients we see report a clearer nose, decreased allergies, improved sleep, decreased pain with the jaw, neck, and shoulders; a decrease in digestive issues, easier articulation, and more.
4 Main Goals of Myofunctional Therapy
- Keep lips sealed
- Breathe through your nose
- Correct tongue rest posture
- Correct swallowing pattern
Goals 1-3 should be anytime you are not eating, drinking, or talking.
Nasal breathing alone has amazing health benefits!
Read more about Nasal Breathing vs Mouth Breathing.
Learn more about the importance of a correct tongue rest posture and a correct swallowing pattern.
In addition to meeting the above 4 goals…
- self awareness is increased (being aware of your breathing, tongue posture, etc)
- muscle control and coordination are improved
THE INITIAL EVALUATION
First, we must dig in deep to piece together all possible symptoms and causes of your concerns. We offer FREE phone consultations, if desired, before scheduling this full initial evaluation.
The initial evaluation is quite extensive. It is important to gather information about you from infancy to right now. This might include questions about each stage of life in regards to: eating, sleeping, digestion, breathing, habits, and more. Photos (both inside and outside of your mouth) will be requested. A thorough evaluation of your tongue will help determine if you have a tongue tie and indicate if there is a lack of muscle tone and/or coordination.
It is important to know all factors that may be associated with your myofunctional disorder(s) (the all inclusive term for many of the above issues/symptoms I described). We want all “pieces of the puzzle” to be addressed in the plan.
If the need for other specialists or procedures are indicated, referrals will be set up. Part of our job is to help you get to the providers that can best help your situation. This may include: ENT, allergist, sleep specialist, a doctor for a tongue tie release, dentist, orthodontist, chiropractor, speech pathologist, or others.
THE THERAPY
Now, it’s time to get you on your way to improved health! Based on schedules and need, you will be paired with one of our two therapists.
When therapy begins, we meet with you every 2 weeks. We call these meetings “sessions” and they last anywhere from 20-40 minutes. At these sessions any changes with symptoms/habits will be discussed, past exercises will be reviewed, and new exercises will be given. The active exercises should be done twice daily and will only take about 3-5 minutes total. How difficult or easy an exercise is for you, and how you respond to practicing it daily, is how we determine the next set of exercises for you. Some exercises require you to be looking in a mirror. Others can be done while doing other things such as driving, reading, cooking, cleaning, etc.
Therapy begins with eliminating unwanted habits (such as non nutritive sucking habits), increasing self awareness, and improving muscle control/coordination. Establishing a lip seal and nasal breathing are critical first steps. Proper tongue rest posture starts with the tip of the tongue and as therapy progresses works to the middle and then back of the tongue along with strengthening the soft palate. The initial phase of chewing and swallowing is addressed along with improving breathing, posture, eliminating areas of tension, and other specific needs of each client. During and after therapy, everything learned and practiced starts to become habit. As therapy progresses, we may meet with you every 3 or 4 weeks instead of every 2 weeks.
Be sure to check out the services we offer and Hannah’s personal myofunctional therapy story.
Your results from myofunctional therapy can truly be life changing!
