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February 11, 2023
mbg Assistant Beauty Editor
mbg Assistant Beauty Editor
Hannah Frye is the Assistant Beauty Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.S. in journalism and a minor in women’s, gender, and queer studies from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Hannah has written across lifestyle sections including health, wellness, sustainability, personal development, and more.
Image by Federica Giacomazzi / Stocksy
February 11, 2023
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Jaw pain is irritating, to say the least. Unlike a knot in your neck or sore leg muscle, it’s not easy to massage with your own two hands or stretch out via yoga. Sure, you can ice it, but that only relieves the pain temporarily.
Luckily, traditional Chinese medicine practitioner and founder of Lanshin Sandra Chiu L.Ac., MSTCM, recently shared her go-to tip with mbg—here’s what she does.
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How to use your gua sha to ease jaw tension.
The secret: Use a gua sha tool to massage your jaw. “Whichever tool you have, make sure to use the flat side of the tool’s body rather than the thin edge on your jaw, as this can create more redness,” Chiu says.
Follow along for the how-to:
- Apply a few drops of face oil to your jaw and cheek.
- Find an obvious knot or an area that feels particularly tight.
- With the rounded edge of your gua sha, roll circles into the area of tension.
- Roll one way and then reverse your direction.
- Repeat this motion on any other knots or problematic areas.
- Once you’re done, push your gua sha from the bottom of your jaw to the top of your cheek, running it up the center with the flat side of your gua sha touching the skin (not the edge).
- While you’re doing this, work in some jaw movement by opening and closing your mouth.
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The takeaway.
Want to ease tension in the jaw super-quickly? This gua sha technique will help you massage out any knots and relieve pressure in just a few minutes. Remember to apply oil before you start and always wash your gua sha after each use. Don’t have a gua sha on hand? Shop these 12 top picks.
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