Charlotte, NC – In the past few weeks I’ve felt some tingling in my jaw and the side of my neck. Definitely an odd feeling but I shrugged it off because I’m positioning my upper body/neck and head in different positions now. With wearing a mask during massage sessions, it’s taken some getting used to for sure. I’m definitely having to readjust my stance.

To troubleshoot I started palpating my jaws, focusing primarily where my jaw is hinged to my skull – right near my ear opening. Yes, the muscles are tight and they feel better when I touch them, but the relief is only temporary. I move my fingertips to behind my ears, where the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) is attached. This small but mighty set of muscles (one on each side of my neck) makes your head move from side to side. They also flex the neck as well as extend the neck. Could this be the culprit?

After palpating the SCMs, I feel like the pressure has let up. You don’t feel how tight they are until you reach up and squeeze them. Boy were they tight. When I look up, I feel the right one is way tighter than the left, and when I look down the back of my neck definitely is uncomfortable.

What’s the solution? I’ll get a neck massage with a focus on the front and back of my neck. This should give me enough relief until I can refocus on my posture and find my new normal position.