After Tongue Tie Release Surgery, I’m Finally Learning How to Breathe

I’m learning how to breathe.

Literally and figuratively.

After tongue tie release surgery, I’m finally learning how to breathe.

It turns out I breathed and swallowed incorrectly for 36 years.

My new dentist immediately noticed my posterior tongue tie.

She referred me to an amazing myofunctional therapist.

The therapist taught me how to breathe and swallow correctly.

She gave me four weeks of exercises to retrain and strengthen the eight muscles in my tongue.

Tongue tie release surgery

And, three days ago, I finally had a lingual frenectomy, or tongue tie release surgery.

A pediatric dentist used a laser to cut through my tongue tie.

He also cut through my upper and lower lip ties.

He sewed six sutures in the bottom of my tongue.

I immediately felt a huge difference in my neck and shoulder tension after the procedure.

Now, I will do another month or two of exercises to keep my tongue from reattaching as it heals.

Learning how to breathe

After 36 years of anxiety, I’m learning how to breathe.

After 36 years of neck and shoulder pain, I’m learning how to breathe.

And, after a decade of dementia caregiving and grief, I’m learning how to breathe.

After a decade of constantly being on call, I’m learning how to breathe.

After a decade of always being tied to my cell phone, I’m learning how to breathe.

At almost 37 years old, I’m finally learning how to breathe.