Tongue Muscle - Cerebral Palsy Message Board

Hope25 · 07-15-2005, 10:05 PM

"I've heard that if you manage to relax your tongue muscle, your whole neck/jaw area will relax (tongue muscle is big and it actually influences the neck, too). "

I was reading a previous post about "Speech & Voice " and this person mentioned the above...does anyone know of ways to do this? I mean exercises. Anyone?

Strawberry1 · 07-16-2005, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hope25

"I've heard that if you manage to relax your tongue muscle, your whole neck/jaw area will relax (tongue muscle is big and it actually influences the neck, too). "

I was reading a previous post about "Speech & Voice " and this person mentioned the above...does anyone know of ways to do this? I mean exercises. Anyone?

At least this sould help: Roll your tongue in your mouth from side to side (both clockwise and anticlockwise). Repeat a few times.

BTW, do you have postural problems, jaw problems or a misaligned bite? These can cause tensions in the neck/jaw area.

Hope25 · 07-16-2005, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Strawberry1

At least this sould help: Roll your tongue in your mouth from side to side (both clockwise and anticlockwise). Repeat a few times.

BTW, do you have postural problems, jaw problems or a misaligned bite? These can cause tensions in the neck/jaw area.

Thank you. No I don't have any of these kimds of problems, but what I do have is shoulder/neck tension when I get nervous, and I think this has effected my speech as a result. Come to think of it, my jaw does crack sometimes when I chew or when a speak sometimes...is this what you're referring too?

Hope25 · 07-16-2005, 01:10 PM

Oh, and I really can't stick my tongue out far...when I practice, I do get sort of tensed or overworked feeling around my head/ears? Have you heard of this?

Strawberry1 · 07-16-2005, 01:18 PM

This is what I found from a web page:

"Place the tip of the tongue down behind the bottom teeth. Focus on the middle of the tongue and gently roll it forward and out of the mouth like a wave breaking over the bottom teeth. Feel the stretch from the tip of your tongue to the root of the tongue in your throat. Allow it to relax back to the floor of your mouth, the tip still touching the bottom of the teeth. Allow only the muscles in the middle of the tongue to create the motion. Keep the tip and root of the tongue as relaxed as possible. Repeat this process several times. Make sure that the jaw remains relaxed, dropping down and back, never forward. Focus on lifting the top jaw to create more space in which the tongue can move. Make sure the upper lip and teeth lift away from the tongue and that the throat is left completely open and relaxed. Breath through your mouth to make sure the throat is open and relaxed. No resistance should be heard when you breathe. If your hear some, relax your throat fully. Once this position is achieved, only the tongue should move as you repeat the exercise. Smiling slightly will also help lift the upper jaw and allow the tongue more freedom of movement.

Now that you have stretched the tongue, begin to loosen it. Let it lie relaxed in the floor of your mouth with the tip still lightly touching the back of the bottom teeth. Gently move the middle of the tongue forward and back in a small scale version of the previous exercise. This time, allow the jaw to remain relaxed with the teeth about 3/4” apart. The tongue should move only within the mouth, barely moving beyond the front teeth. Gradually increase the speed with which you do this forward-backward motion until you feel you are lightly shaking the tongue loose through its whole length. Remember you are loosening the tongue, not stretching it now. It should be a very gentle, comfortable feeling. Once again, scan for and release any tension that may have built up. "