Clinical Research Directory

The temporomandibular joint compression and decompression technique consists of, with the patient in the supine position and the investigator at the head, hooking the middle fingers beneath the angles of the mandible while the basal joints cover the joints and the palms cover the ears and temporal regions (Liem et al, 2012). First, a light cranially-directed pressure is applied to the mandible for 30 seconds to release restrictions and stretch the intracranial membrane. Subsequently, the vector is reversed, and a gentle caudally-directed traction is applied for another 30 seconds to free the joint space."

Cranial listening touch without therapeutic intent consists of, with the patient in the supine position and the investigator at the head of the bed, the investigator placing bilateral contacts on the patient's skull with the first fingers in contact with each other, without contacting the skull, the second fingers on the greater wing of the sphenoid, the third fingers anterior to the ear, the fourth fingers posterior to the ear, and the fifth fingers in contact with the squamous part of the occipital bone (Busquet, 2002). In addition, after placing the contacts, the investigator asks the patient not to contact the maxillary teeth with the mandibular teeth.