Beyond the Procedure: How Bodywork Maximizes the Benefits of Tongue Tie Release
If you suspect you or your little one has a tongue tie but couldn’t get a release until you received bodywork first, YAY! You’ve likely chosen a great provider. This approach is used not only to improve the outcomes of the release, if one is needed, but also to decrease the likelihood of reattachment. This blog is designed to walk you through what bodywork is, what it looks like, why it’s needed, and how it unleashes the full potential of a tongue tie release.
Why Is a Tongue Tie Release Procedure Alone Not Enough?
There’s a great saying in the oral ties community: “A release is not just a procedure, it’s a process.”
While the procedure addresses the physical restriction limiting proper function, bodywork takes it a step further by addressing the underlying tension and imbalances throughout the entire body. Anytime there is a restriction in one area, other areas compensate. If you aren’t addressing the body as a whole, you aren’t truly releasing everything that contributed to the dysfunction that lead you to the release if the first place. Not only that, but you may miss additional improvements that wouldn’t occur from the release alone.
What Causes Tension With a Tongue Tie?
A quick and easy definition of a tongue tie is an anatomical restriction under the tongue that restricts motion and inhibits function. When something isn’t functioning properly, surrounding areas compensate in order to accomplish a necessary task.
Imagine having a coworker who just simply can’t do their job adequately. Others around them then must pick up the slack to keep things running smoothly. This is exactly what happens with the body. Since the body is such a connected system, compensation affects the entire chain from top to bottom.
Tension can occur:
Directly from the tongue tie itself
Indirectly from compensations due to the tongue tie
Other contributing factors may include:
Adults: previous injuries, poor breathing patterns, stress, daily positioning habits, pelvic floor concerns, and more.
Babies: in-utero positioning, birth strain, feeding challenges, and more. Check out common causes of tension in babies.
How is Fascia Involved in Tongue Ties and Bodywork?
Fascia is a hot topic these days, but many people don’t fully understand its role. So, let’s do a real quick hopscotch through some body basics before we get started.
Imagine the inside of an orange. In an orange, there are little white bits that hold the bigger orange bits together. Now, imagine your body as a complex orange. You have muscles, organs, etc. (the orange’s orange bits) that are separated, yet also held together by fascia (the orange’s white bits).
Fascia is woven throughout the muscles, and when muscles contract, force is transmitted through the entire system. If there is compensation, restriction, or chronic tightness, you bet the whole body feels it! This is why many tiny tots with oral ties have clenched fists, C-shape torsos, or difficulty with tummy time. Adults often experience chronic neck tension, mid-back tightness, or jaw pain.
When you move one part of your body (or are unable to move it properly), the entire system is affected. Bodywork can help “reorganize” movement patterns and improve function throughout the entire body!
What Does Bodywork Look Like?
Chiropractic bodywork for infants is gentle and relaxing! A full-body assessment identifies areas of tension and compensation. Corrections are made through gentle movements, stretches, and ate-appropriate exercises to help reinforce proper movement patterns.
Medical gloves are used to assess tension within the mouth and help reduce tension in these areas as well. Parents should be given at-home recommendations to help their baby feel more comfortable and to support continued progress between sessions. Many babies fall asleep during their session, and parents often refer to as a “spa day.”
Chiropractic bodywork for adults typically incorporates specialized techniques such as myofascial work, cranial techniques, Sacro-Occipital Technique, gentle mobilizations, chiropractic adjustments, dry needling if warranted, and at-home exercises to decrease tension and restore proper movement patterns.
Adults have something tiny tots don’t have- years of bad habits (hello sitting at a computer and hunching over your phone), an injury history, stress, and all the other fun things that come along with being an adult. Addressing these factors before and after a release can significantly enhance the relief experienced after the procedure.
For both adults and babies, bodywork helps to release fascial restrictions, improve mobility, and restore balance and symmetry throughout the entire system.
Why Do Bodywork Prior to a Tongue Tie Release?
Bodywork enhances tongue tie release outcomes in both children and adults by optimizing range of motion so we are moving as freely and fully as possible heading into the release. This often reduces symptoms and improves function, sometimes temporarily if a true structural restriction remains, until the underlying cause is addressed - hello release!
Why Do Bodywork After a Tongue Tie Release?
Because anatomical proximity and fascial connections, restrictions from a tongue tie often create tension in the neck, jaw, shoulders, and mid-back. Many adults report an immediate sense of release of these areas during or shortly after a procedure. HOW COOL IS THAT?!
Post-frenectomy, one or two sessions of bodywork can be extremely helpful in continuing to improve overall function by releasing any “left-over” tension and retraining movement patterns as needed. This alone can provide additional results and expand the improvement that is initially seen post-release by improving mobility and function throughout the body.
Additionally, post-release bodywork helps decrease the likelihood of reattachment by ensuring:
Positioning of the head, neck, jaw and shoulders are in good “alignment”
Decreasing compensation and focusing on mobility can help to keep the muscles that attach to these areas from being in a contracted, shortened state during healing
Full range of motion in surrounding structures
This allows easier access to the mouth for aftercare (especially important for the tiny tots!)
Can Bodywork Take the Place of a Release?
While bodywork can temporarily reduce symptoms and compensations caused by a tongue tie, it cannot and replace a release procedure if there is a true restriction present. These two approaches work best together. If a true structural restriction exists, improvements from bodywork alone will likely be short-lived because the root cause remains.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bodywork and Tongue Tie Release:
1. Is bodywork painful?
Bodywork for tongue ties should be gentle. Some individuals may experience mild discomfort in areas with chronic tension, such as the floor of the mouth. Many describe this sensation as a “feel-good hurt” or “productive discomfort.” The goal is always to promote relaxation and release, so communication with your provider is important.
For babies, there should be NO discomfort at all. Treatment is only performed when they are calm and relaxed.
2. How many sessions are typically required?
The number of sessions varies based on individual needs and goals. Some individuals notice improvements after 2-3 sessions, while those with more complex or chronic concerns may require additional care. Your provider should outline expectations during the initial visit. You should never feel like you’re being “roped into” treatment you don’t need so please ALWAYS communicate your goals and expectations with your provider!
3. When should I see a bodyworker before and after a tongue tie release?
Ideally, you would see a bodyworker prior to scheduling with a tongue tie release provider. Another session immediately prior to the release is often recommended, followed by a visit within a week of the release. Every individual is different and unique so these are simply “typical” guidelines. You and your bodywork provider should create an individualized plan for you or your little one.
4. Who do I need to see for a tongue-tie release?
Adult tongue tie release care team: Tongue tie release provider, bodyworker, and orofacial myofunctional therapist
Infant tongue tie release care team: Tongue tie release provider, bodyworker, and IBCLC with additional training in oral ties
The Importance of considering Bodywork as part of the Tongue Tie Release Process
A tongue tie release is an important step in addressing structural restriction. However, to fully optimize outcomes, it is essential to consider the role of bodywork. Incorporating bodywork into the process allows individuals to maximize benefits and achieve the most comprehensive results.
The path to optimal outcomes extends beyond the procedure itself.
A tongue tie release is not just a procedure. It’s a process.
Hey there!
My name is Dr. Dani and I’m an in-home chiropractor for busy women and infants within the Denver Metro area. I work with women of all ages and stages, but truly shine with the pregnancy, postpartum, and pediatric populations. I strive for quality care through extended appointment times, diverse treatment modalities, personalized home-care recommendations, and education so families can feel both empowered and cared for!
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