01/12/2025
This one neck muscle can impact your anxiety, jaw tension, facial puffiness… and even your vagus nerve.
It’s called the SCM — short for sternocleidomastoid and it runs from just behind your ear to your collarbone.
Most people don’t realise how much tension they hold here…
But the SCM sits right beside the vagus nerve, and when it’s tight, it can:
Affect vagus nerve function (your body’s calm switch)
Disrupt lymphatic drainage (hello puffiness + fluid retention)
Pull on fascia and muscle patterns in the jaw and face
Contribute to clenching, TMJ pain, shallow breathing + more
It’s one of the most overlooked muscles when it comes to nervous system health, jaw release, and facial sculpting.
During a Face Sculpting Massage, I always work with the SCM because when it starts to soften, the whole body begins to feel safe.
✨ The nervous system calms.
✨ The jaw lets go.
✨ The face lifts and softens.
This is what it means to work beyond the skin, not just chasing glow, but accessing the deep-rooted tension patterns stored in the fascia, muscles, and nervous system.
If you’re feeling wired, puffy, or clenched don’t ignore your neck. It’s where the healing starts.
👇
Share with someone who needs this.
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