Frequently Asked Questions
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Intra-oral TMJ treatment is a specialized technique that involves working inside the mouth to access and treat the muscles of the jaw. This approach helps reduce muscle tension, improve joint function, and relieve symptoms such as jaw pain, clicking, and restricted movement.
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Tension in the jaw affects more people than they realize. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms below, mention it to your RMT next time that you’re in for a treatment.
Common Symptoms of TMJD:
Jaw pain or tenderness
Clicking, popping, or grinding in the jaw
Difficulty or pain when opening and closing the mouth
Limited jaw movement or locking
Headaches, especially around the temples
Ear pain, pressure, or ringing (tinnitus)
Facial pain or tightness
Neck and upper shoulder tension
Pain with chewing or talking
Teeth grinding or clenching (bruxism)
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If you are a new client to Strive Holistic, please book the Initial Massage Assessment & Treatment. If you are a returning client, we recommend a 30 or 45 minute treatment for a very isolated treatment to the jaw OR we can designate a section of your longer treatment to the jaw as well.
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We will start with a detailed patient history followed by range of motion assessment to understand the underlying cause for YOU. We will then begin with external passes to the muscles of the jaw and most likely treatment to the muscles of your neck. From there, your therapist will put on gloves (latex or latex free to meet your requirements) and begin treating muscles that are only accessible from inside the mouth. This allows for the most optimal results for relieving your jaw pain.
Intra-oral TMJ FAQs
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Cupping feels like a slight pull to the skin that may feel temporarily and briefly tingly, a little itchy, or tight, but it should not feel painful. The sensation of tingling, itchiness or tight pulling of the skin should also subside quite quickly during a massage treatment. It’s encouraged to communicate with your practitioner if you are too uncomfortable at any time! Check out our massage therapy page to learn more about cupping, and the different types of cupping techniques offered.
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Cupping marks may look similar to a bruise because the suction from the cups can cause small superficial blood vessels under the skin to leak slightly (petechiae). However, they are temporary and fade on their own within days to about 1–2 weeks. The length of time that the marks stay on your skin are difficult for your therapist to predict, so we always let you know about the possibilty ahead of time.
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It depends on the person - the practitioner monitors the colouration of the cup mark underneath, and takes it off a few minutes after it starts to change colour. The time frame could be anywhere from 2 to 5 minutes, or of course based on the client’s comfort level of the sensation being felt.
View a cupping treatment in action on the massage cupping page by clicking here.
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Yes, absolutely! We understand that you may not feel comfortable with the markings being left on your skin. If you really do not want the cup marks left on the skin, a dynamic (i.e. sliding) cupping technique is also available. Similar results can be yielded when the practitioner continues to move the cup, never leaving it in one place for long. This ensures that the markings are very minimal; you may still receive slight pink markings as we stimulate blood flow to the area, no marks whatsoever cannot be guaranteed.
To view the difference in the potential markings to your skin, check out the photo on our cupping page by clicking here!
CUPPING FAQs
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We ask that you provide 48 hours to cancel or reschedule your appointment. If there are reschedules or cancellations with less than 48 hours notice, the client will be subject to a charge of %100 of their total treatment cost which will be automatically charged to the card on file. Benefits cannot be utilized for the purpose of covering cancellation fees.
If for any reason, that balance is not cleared, the patient with the outstanding balance will be unable to book with any practitioner at our clinic in the future, until the balance is cleared. A deposit or request to pay in full may be requested by the patient for future bookings as well.
Since we are paid per treatment, and not hourly, this is to provide financial security to everyone at the clinic!
Thank you for your understanding.
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We do accept MVA billings! For us to be able to efficiently bill to your auto company, please provide us with 48 hours’ notice, your claim adjustor’s name, address, claim # and phone number/email so that we may reach out to them to confirm their invoicing policy and obtain copies of any required consent forms prior.
Thank you for your cooperation!
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Yes we do! We direct bill and also bill secondary insurers (provided there are no restrictions applied by the companies themselves.)
Please ensure you have filled out the direct billing portion of your health intake & consent form at least 24 hours prior to your treatment so that we can accurately apply any relevant insurance information prior. If you have any questions, email us at info@striveholistic.com prior. Thank you!
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We take tap through our POS portal, AMEX, Visa, Mastercard, cash and e-transfers to info@striveholistic.com.
Please note all e-transfers for patients paying %100 out of pocket must be paid the same day as your treatment before you’ve left the clinic.
For all clients sending e-transfer payments as a remaining portion after insurer coverage, payments must be made within 48 hours (we’ll notify you once we’ve received your insurer payment and the amount). If we don’t receive your e-transfer within 48 hours, we automatically bill the credit card on file.
Please note we don’t accept PayPal payments, and we don’t carry change on hand, so any cash you offer your practitioner will be what you will provide, understanding that we can’t provide any cash difference in return.
Thank you for your understanding!
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Yes! Since we are located out of Evolve Strength Downtown, we offer free 2 hour parking. Don’t forget to register your license plate at the front desk to access the free parking, and remember to “opt in” to marketing emails when you create your first booking, as you will be sent a map of where to park in the initial email.
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There is no Strive Holistic sign outside. Since we are located within Evolve Strength Downtown, you will see the Evolve sign. Strive Holistic is room #104 inside.
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Yes! Feel free to let the front staff know you have arrived for your treatment with Strive Holistic, grab a towel and enjoy a steam for as long as you like prior to your treatment start time (or after your treatment too!)
The towels at Evolve Strength are $2 to use or you may bring your own!
CLINIC FAQs
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Click the “Book Now” button on the website and you’ll be led to the area where you can see all rates and services prior to booking.
For any questions about rates, you may also email us at info@striveholistic.com
Be sure to read the section at the top of our booking page for any current promotions we have running, or check our Instagram @striveholistic
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Yes, we certainly can! As long as the practitioner you wish to see isn’t fully booked for the day, we can accommodate a same day treatment.
Please be aware that our practitioners are not on site, waiting on call however. This is why we have a “Call To Book” button that displays when the treatment you wish to book is less than 6 hours from the desired time. When you call our business line requesting a same day appointment, I notify the practitioner you wish to book with and ensure they can drive to the clinic and be prepared and given proper notice for the massage treatment!
We book same day treatments with a minimum of 2 hours notice prior to your desired time so long as the practitioner isn’t already booked!
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It greatly varies based on the person! Here are a couple of things that should be considered before booking:
How long has it been since my last treatment? Your tissues may respond a little more slowly or differently to manual manipulation, and we may want to treat with a bit more caution at first if it’s been a long time since you’ve received a therapeutic massage treatment.
How many concerns do I need addressed? I find that 60 minutes of treatment time, especially when an initial assessment is required, is not enough time to treat the full body. If you desire a full body treatment and are new to the clinic, and especially if it’s been a few months since you last received treatment, consider booking 75 or 90 minutes.
Do I have previous injuries, surgeries, whiplash, chronic pain, or other possible unique aspects of my body to consider that may take more time? Things like scar tissue from previous surgeries, chronic pain that may take a longer assessment period, or other concerns that may compound on other issues must be considered and will likely need more time for the practitioner to properly assess. You may wish to add a little more time with these considerations in mind.
New patients must book the initial assessment & treatment booking for $150.0 + tax.
If you have any questions about how much time to book prior to reserving your treatment, please feel free to email us at info@striveholistic.com, or call/text 780-237-5665.
Treatment FAQs
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Instrument-assisted soft tissue therapy (IASTM), commonly known as “Graston” or “scraping”, is a manual therapy technique that uses specialized tools to detect and treat soft tissue restrictions. By applying controlled mechanical pressure, IASTM is thought to stimulate a local inflammatory response, promote tissue remodeling, improve mobility, and reduce pain.
Research indicates that IASTM may:
Increase blood flow and local circulation
Stimulate fibroblast activity (important for tissue repair)
Improve collagen alignment during healing
Reduce pain through neuromodulation
Enhance range of motion when combined with movement or exercise
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IASTM can be an extremely useful tool to incorporate during treatment. Some specific dysfunctions that may benefit from IASTM are:
Soft tissue restrictions and scar tissue
Tendinopathies (e.g., Achilles, patellar, lateral epicondylitis)
Myofascial pain and muscle tightness
Reduced range of motion
Post-injury or post-surgical tissue healing
Chronic overuse injuries
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IASTM can sometimes leave temporary redness or mild bruising in the treated area. This is a normal response to the increased blood flow and mechanical stimulation of the tissue, and it typically resolves within a few days.
The skin response you may see is due to local capillary stimulation from the mechanical pressure. It’s not damage to the tissue, but a short-lived superficial response. Please note that it’s not always possible to predict whether IASTM will leave marks, so we always discuss this possibility with you beforehand.
Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM) FAQs
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If the treatment protocol calls for that, then the answer is yes, we absolutely can! This is a therapy based clinic, and our goal is results. We’ve frequently heard at this clinic that our treatments are one of the most satisfying treatments that they’ve received when it comes to the relief that’s felt.
To learn more about when, and why deep pressure is applied, and how to communicate with your massage therapist about your expectations for this, please visit our massage therapy page and head to the deep tissue section here, about halfway down the page.
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Yes, but the practitioner reserves the right to refer out if the pregnancy is considered high risk or geriatric.
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Please note that, although we connect deeply in the treatment room, especially with client’s we’ve been seeing for years, it remains a strictly professional interaction that is client-centered. Not only is it a strict personal boundary not to spend time with clients in a personal capacity of any kind outside of the treatment room, whether that be friends or other companionship, but it is actually not allowed in accordance with the association bodies. It could get the RMT in trouble in the form of fines, or the clinic as a whole being under investigation, and going on your association record.
Creating personal connections outside the treatment room greatly compromises the therapist-client relationship. Should a client request to see any RMT in clinic on their personal time, in any capacity, they will be referred to another practitioner in the clinic, and if the request is repeated, they will be referred to another clinic completely and not allowed to return. Thank you for your understanding of this boundary as it helps create our ability to serve you in the best professional capacity.
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We work with other referring professionals all the time here. If you’d like us to get in touch with your physiotherapist, chiropractor or other practitioner, simply communicate this before your treatment begins, in addition to providing any ultrasound or other applicable information you think would be beneficial.
We will need your referring professional’s name, phone number, and email, so that we may phone or email them to request your chart information if needed. It is possible we will send them an email, and CC you, to prove that you’d requested for us to contact them, and that you’ve provided written permission, if that is necessary. We will keep you informed at all times of the steps being taken to ensure we’ve collected all applicable chart notes from the other referring professional, and if we need any information from you specifically.
We love working with, and learning from others!
Miscellaneous FAQs
