Normal tongue structure and function are crucial during fundamental activities such as chewing, sucking, swallowing, breathing and speaking. Dysfunction of these activities can occur when either the form or position of the tongue is disturbed, if structures attaching to the tongue are compromised, or when the tongue’s sensory or motor nerve pathways are stressed. CranioSacral Therapy can help the body form balanced free motion of the tongue by decreasing dysfunctional biomechanical or neurological strain upon it.
The tongue is suspended from the cranium, soft palate, mandible, and hyoid bone by way of the tongue’s extrinsic muscles. A constant give-and-take relationship exists between these structures such that the tongue affects them and, in turn, they affect the tongue. We can think of it as a kinetic chain of reciprocal influence.
Conditions can arise that challenge the smooth operation of one or more components within the tongue’s kinetic chain. This may lead to dysfunction involving activities in which the tongue is directly involved such as swallowing and speech, or activities that do not directly engage the tongue such as balance or rib-cage motion. Visceral function can even be altered.
When a person’s tongue is unable to function properly the consequences for the individual can be heart wrenchingly difficult. Working with the tongue, its associated structures and the body as a whole, may help alleviate dysfunctional biomechanical strain in such a way that the tongue can establish optimal position, movement and function.
Please look for Tad’s upcoming article on the tongue in the Massage Magazine’s online “Techniques” section, <http://www.massagemag.com/Resources/massage-techniques/>
