Have you been having more headaches lately?

What if I told you that wearing a mask has been taking a toll on me? It is, and I bet it’s having an effect on you as well. Sure, it’s helping to keep us safe, (and I fully support wearing them) but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t come at a cost. Here’s my take on it all:

1. Masks are obstructing some people’s vision (either because of fogging glasses or blocking your peripheral vision) so you are holding your head and neck differently
2. You are probably mouth breathing more which is changing your overall oxygen/carbon monoxide/nitrogen balances internally
3. The biomechanics of your jaw is off when you are talking/breathing with the mask on which leads to neck muscle imbalances

More importantly, what to do about it

1. There are various soft tissue massage techniques you can do for yourself to relax tissues in your forehead, temple, and jaw area
2. Working to open and close your mouth several times during your mask breaks, with “normal and neutral mechanics” can be very helpful
3. Place the tongue on the roof of your mouth and open/close 8x, 3 times/day
4. 12-16 soft deviations with your jaw left and right (while your mouth is opened) just enough to keep your teeth from scratching
5. Address your head/neck postures to minimize long term effects of wearing the masks.