A lot of people think that being tongue tied is just a figure of speech. And while there is a figurative meaning, it also is a physical phenomenon.
When a fetus is developing, early in the process, the tongue and the jaw are a solid unit. As it matures, the tongue and the jaw separate. But that process does not always happen completely, and many of us are left with a little bit of extra tissue under the tongue, hence the term “tongue tie.” It is usually talked about in terms of how it can affect the mouth.
But it can have far reaching effects on the entire body. Why? This picture shows how the soft tissue in the mouth is connected to soft tissue all the way down to the feet. Thus, a mouth restriction pulls on the body, from your tongue to toes. When people get their tongue ties removed, it often has an effect on the entire body.
As shown in Figure 2, sometimes there are substantial changes in full body posture. In the before picture, the man has more tension in the body overall, his lower spine is more curved. His head is pulled forward, and there is a much higher chance of neck, shoulder and upper back tension, as well as lower back pain. Afterwards, he even appears a bit taller.
The tongue needs to fully reach the roof of the mouth to function optimally during swallowing and at rest. A tongue tie pulls the tongue down, so getting that full tongue-roof of mouth contact is either not possible or strained. If that action is difficult or impossible, the muscles around the head and neck contract in an attempt to help out.
This pulls the head forward. And the neck muscles especially can feel super tight. When someone gets that small amount of extra tissue removed, the tightness dissipates. Many times they experience immediate relief in those muscles that have been over compensating, as they give up overtime duty.
After removal, pressures get redistributed throughout the body, and influence how the body is carried. This is why many therapists and doctors who work with clients before and after, often recommend body work such as physical therapy, craniosacral therapy or chiropractic adjustment. This is to help the body find its new stance, and to release the pockets of tension the body has stored its whole life, from over compensating for the mouth restriction.
In addition to the benefits that taking care of a tongue tie can bring to speaking, eating, drinking, voice and sleep quality, if properly managed it can bring about greater ease and comfort throughout the whole body.
