Pivotal Therapy 1950 Occipivot, Shape

I've had TMJ disorder for as long as I can remember. Out of sheer desperation on night, I searched "TMJ" on Amazon and this came up.Naturally, I immediately bought it because... hey, I've had my teeth shaved down, braces for 3 years as an adult, countless massage therapists and chriopractors... For the last two years, I've even been getting Botox in the muscles of my jaw and temples.The first time I used this thing, it was for 30 seconds on my hardwood floors. It kept slipping around, but when I *did* balance on it, it hurt! I had what felt like bruises on the back of my head for at least 3 days. Obviously I was doing something wrong. I threw it in the corner and considered it more money lost.Two weeks later, I picked it up again. This time I used it on my very comfy (read: very SOFT) bed, which immediately solved the problem of it slipping around. However, I could only lay on it for 30 seconds before it hurt. Again, I convinced myself I was doing something wrong, but this time, it felt less bruise-y!The next day, I forced myself to use it for a minute or two...it hurt, but not as bad as the first two days!I kept this up, adding a few more minutes each day. By the end of 2 weeks, the mere action of resting my head on it caused my muscles in my head, neck, shoulders, and FORTUNATELY, JAW(!!!!) to immediately relax!I've spent thousands on braces, Botox injections, night guards...you name it. Turns out, I have "head forward" posture that means I always look like I'm slouching, no matter how straight I make my spine, and that causes the muscles in my neck and shoulders to do a heck of a lot of work. This occupivot didn't cure my TMJ disorder, but made it way, way more manageable.I've since told everyone I know who sits at a computer all day to get one. I'm here buying another one because I lend mine out so much that I need one I can actually use! I can confidently say that every single person I've lent it to has gone on to buy their own and at least two have bought another one for other friends. I should honestly be a distributor for these, lol.Like I said, my TMJD isn't cured (I'm still a terrible teeth grinder), but I was able to go an extra 6 months longer before getting more Botox injections!I'm attaching a picture because I was really confused if I was using it right at first. It was painful and awkward and I wanted to make sure I wasn't hurting myself, yet I couldn't find any clear pics of people using it. Hopefully this helps!In the pic, I'm on day 3 or so of using it. My neck muscles aren't straining... they're spazzing out trying to relax! The device itself is positioned such that if I rolled over and looked at it, the fingers would be curved like upside down rainbows. My apologies if it's not very clear, but it works best on me if those fingers hit right above the base of the skull. Once that relaxes, I slooooooowly move my chin up so that the "fingers" move up to right below my ponytail. Once I got the hang of it (and my muscles calmed down from the pain of first using it!), I just go straight to that spot.I've also found more success if I use this time to meditate and focus on relaxing my muscles. For awhile I tried being on my phone or watching TV, but it really helps if you can focus your energy on relaxing! :)Now go forth and relieve your pain! <3!!!!!

This product is amazing!!!!!! I've suffered for years with seasonal allergies, including constant sinus congestion/pressure, eye pain, and severe headaches that would last for days. I'm an osteopathic medical student ("DO") & have learned both in school and through personal experience about the importance of myofascial (muscle connective tissue) release, which is the principle that the Occipivot is based on. Specifically, this product uses the "suboccipital release" technique (also known as "OA" or 'occipito-atlanto release") to relieve tension at the base of the skull. This technique helps to both alleviate headaches & improve lymphatic flow (ie, allow sinus congestion to drain from your head). I've been using this product almost daily (at least 10-15min per day) and have been able to significantly cut back on the amount of Zyrtec that I take (which used to be daily). I also rarely get headaches now and don't feel near as much pressure in my sinuses (especially behind my eyes) as I did prior to using the Occipivot. In addition, I frequently use the Occipivot to relieve muscle spasms in my back (added bonus!).Before purchasing this product, I looked at several other comparable brands/models and noticed that many of the reviews on those products mentioned that the device was too hard and uncomfortable. This Occipivot has some cushion to it but it still firm enough to effectively relieve myofascial tension. You have the option of using it two different ways -- one with the angled support side on your neck and the other with the support side toward your head. I use it both ways to target different areas depending on where the worst tension is. I'd recommend that if you've never used any type of product like this one and/or never had any osteopathic manipulation treatments that you start with the support side towards your head. The easiest way to find a good placement point is to start with the two elevated points (the ones the point toward the ceiling) on your skull (more towards the base), and then slowly slide the Occipivot downward towards your neck just until you feel the "drop off" point of your skull-- this is where the tense myofascial tissue connects to your skull. It may be slightly uncomfortable at first, but this is because your tissue is most likely very tense. You can try starting out with shorter treatment times spaced out throughout the day and work your way up to being able to rest on the Occipivot for longer periods of time. I hope this explanation makes sense and that you get the relief that you deserve! Allergies and headaches are horrible to have to live with, but I swear by this product and have seen a huge change in how I feel since using it.