Why Your Neck or Face Pain May Be Caused by Your TMJ

Pain of any kind is no fun, but pain in your shoulders, neck, or head can really get in the way of your life. Most people think that pain in those areas is caused by stress or poor posture. But did you know that your jaw could actually be the source of those problems?

My name is Dr. Luke VanderZouwen, and I’m a physical therapist at Full Potential Physical Therapy in Holland, Michigan. I have a special interest in treating individuals with jaw, head, neck, and facial region pain. This video will cover some of the common signs and symptoms I see in people with jaw-related issues and explain how physical therapy might be able to help. 

What Is the TMJ?

One of the more common diagnoses I treat is TMD or temporal mandibular disorder. TMD is a wide-ranging term and involves the temporomandibular joint, otherwise known as the jaw joint or TMJ. This joint connects the lower jawbone to the skull and is essential for activities like talking and eating.

What Are the Symptoms of TMJ Dysfunction?

If you have dysfunction in your jaw, it may show up in a number of ways. Most obviously, you might notice symptoms related to jaw use in your jaw area. This could present as:

• Soreness just in front of your ear
• Soreness in your jaw muscles (the ones you feel on the side of your face when you chew)
• Pain with opening or closing your mouth or chewing 
• Clicking and popping sounds from your jaw, with or without pain 
• Limited ability to open your mouth, or jaw catching or locking 

Untreated Jaw Pain Can Affect Other Parts of Your Body

The jaw is directly and indirectly connected to other parts of your body. That’s why problems with the jaw can also result in symptoms in other areas of the body. For example, when you bite firmly, you’ll probably first feel your teeth together, then your biting muscles working, and you may feel that your neck is tensing if you bite hard enough. This demonstrates the simple ways that our neck and jaw work together. 

In a similar example, if you practice opening your mouth wide, you’ll probably first feel a number of things. You’ll feel your teeth separate. Then you’ll feel a light stretch in your jaw, and then as you open even wider, you’ll feel your neck muscles start to work, and you’ll probably even feel your head start to tip back. 

What Can Happen if Jaw Issues Are Left Untreated?

If by chance your jaw is not functioning well or has pain, this can impact the way you move surrounding joints or vice versa, joints and muscles with issues may impact your jaw. Because of the complex interactions between joints, jaw issues can be associated with a variety of problems including: 

• Neck pain
• Headaches
• Facial region pain
• Shoulder issues
• Upper back issues
• Migraines
• Dizziness
• Sensations of ear fullness
• Ear ringing, otherwise known as tinnitus
• Issues with bite, which can cause potential dental complications

Physical Therapy Is an Effective Treatment for Jaw, Neck, and Face Pain

Physical therapists like me are highly trained in evaluation assessment and treatment of jaw related issues. We’ll take into consideration all of the previously mentioned body areas and symptoms when coming up with an appropriate treatment plan to address your needs. 

Using hands-on treatment, targeted exercise, and other relatively non-invasive techniques, physical therapists can play an important role in helping you overcome what can be a difficult and frustrating situation. Whether you’re having pain in your jaw or struggling to resolve aches or pains in surrounding areas, a physical therapist at Full Potential may be able to help. 

If you have jaw region pain or issues like the ones mentioned in this video and are hoping to start treatment right away, the best way to get the process started is to reach out to your primary care physician or dentist and fill them in on your situation. They may want to see you first to rule out more pressing medical or dental issues, but they also may be able to send us a referral based just on your request. 

Reach Out to Full Potential PT for Personalized Support

If you’re uncertain about the process of physical therapy or you’re on the fence about seeking help, we also offer free consultations where you get to meet face-to-face with a physical therapist and determine if physical therapy can be an avenue to try to address your needs. 

If you have any questions or are looking to schedule, simply call our office at (616) 392-2172. We’ll be happy to help.