The BreatheALIGN Program & OMT

Image credit: Roger L Price

The BreatheALIGN Program is designed to help improve both your posture and breathing, as well as the muscle balance of your mouth and face to ensure they are working efficiently. The muscle retraining aspect is known as Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT)

What is BreatheALIGN About?

Good posture means having proper alignment of your body, including your feet, head, neck, and even your tongue. The muscles in your face play a big role in maintaining this balance. Similarly, proper breathing requires balanced breathing muscles. When posture or breathing is off, it can lead to ongoing issues, requiring more therapy down the line.

Many people don’t realise how interconnected everything in the body is. Problems like dental issues, TMJ pain, sleep disorders, and even breathing difficulties are often linked to poor posture and dysfunctional breathing patterns.

Addressing Stress

Stress is another major factor in these problems, and the BreatheALIGN program can help you manage aspects of your stress by equipping you with enhanced nervous system function (via better breathing) as well as other daily strategies.

Who runs the BreatheALIGN Program

In the program, our uniquely trained Orthopostural Therapist & BreatheALIGN Practitioner works closely with other experts such as our TMJ Therapists (Physiotherapists and Osteopaths)  and our TMJ/Sleep Dentists to give you the best possible care – just like a Dental Hygienist helps you maintain oral health.

Our Approach

In BreatheALIGN, we focus on preventing future problems instead of just treating symptoms. The program focusses on both identifying underlying issues/habits causing symptoms, as well as assisting you to changes these habits to ensure lasting results.

What to expect: Structure of the BreatheALIGN Program  

I would normally see you for at least three sessions 

• Initial Consultation (60 mins)
• First Follow Up Consultation (60 mins) – a week after your Initial Consultation
• Second Follow Up Consultation (60 mins) – 4 weeks after your Initial Consultation
• Additional Periodic Review Consultations (30 mins) may be recommended based on your specific clinical presentation.
  Our goal however, is to keep the number of sessions to a minimum.

Capnography in the BreatheALIGN Program

Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT) and where it fits into the BreatheALIGN Program

This aspect of the BreatheALIGN Program begins in your Second Follow-Up Consultation

Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy focuses on improving the function and relaxation of the muscles in your face, mouth, and jaw. The main goal is to help your tongue, lips, and jaw find a natural resting position that supports a healthy and pain-free temporomandibular joint (TMJ).

For patients with TMD (temporomandibular joint disorder), this therapy can be particularly helpful in reducing muscle tension and relieving pain by promoting more relaxed and balanced muscle activity. OMT includes exercises that improve jaw posture and subsequently breathing. It can also help correct clenching or grinding habits that often worsen TMJ pain.

How OMT can help with TMD / facial pain:

1. Relaxing the muscles of the face, mouth, and jaw
2. Reducing clenching or grinding (bruxism)
3. Improving tongue, lip, and jaw posture to relieve tension on the TMJ
4. Supporting breathing normalisation
5. Relieving facial muscle sensitivity and tension
6. Enhancing overall facial posture, which can reduce stress on the jaw

The main objective is to create a comfortable and relaxed environment for your jaw and facial muscles, allowing the TMJ to rest and function without pain. OMT can be especially effective when combined with treatment from your TMJ Therapist or TMD / Sleep Dentist, as the jaw, muscles, and airway are closely connected.