TMJ stands for temporomandibular joint — the hinge that connects your jaw to your skull, located just in front of your ears. TMJ dysfunction occurs when this joint becomes irritated, inflamed, or imbalanced, often causing jaw pain, headaches, ear discomfort, clicking, or difficulty chewing.

This condition can develop gradually from poor posture, stress-related clenching, or grinding (bruxism), or suddenly due to trauma, dental work, or neck tension.

💡 Common Physiotherapy-Related Causes:

• Neck stiffness and poor posture increasing jaw load

• Teeth grinding or clenching (often stress-related)

• Muscle tightness in the jaw, face, or neck (e.g., masseter, temporalis)

• Asymmetrical chewing patterns or jaw alignment issues

• Whiplash injuries or facial trauma

🛠️ What You Can Do:

• ✅ Apply warm compresses to tight jaw or neck muscles

• ✅ Avoid chewing gum or hard/chewy foods during flare-ups

• ✅ Practice gentle jaw movement exercises (e.g., controlled opening and side-to-side glides)

• ✅ Check your posture while sitting or driving – slouched positions increase jaw tension

• ✅ Manage stress levels – jaw clenching often happens subconsciously under stress

👩‍⚕️ How Physio Can Help:

• Manual therapy to release jaw, neck, and facial muscle tightness

• TMJ mobilisation techniques to restore joint movement

• Dry needling for overactive muscles (masseter, temporalis, upper traps)

• Breathing retraining & stress reduction strategies

• Education on correct jaw use and posture awareness

• Tailored home program to improve mobility, strength & relaxation

🙋‍♀️ Answers to Common Questions

1. Why does my jaw click or pop when I open my mouth?
This usually happens when the TMJ disc is slightly displaced. While not always painful, clicking can become a problem if it's accompanied by locking, pain, or reduced movement. Physio can help realign the joint and release the surrounding muscle tension to reduce clicking.

2. Can a physio actually help with jaw pain?
Yes! TMJ dysfunction often stems from or is worsened by neck and facial muscle tension, poor posture, and jaw biomechanics — all of which physios are trained to assess and treat.

3. Is jaw pain causing my headaches or ear pressure?
Possibly. The TMJ shares nerves and muscle systems with your head, ears, and neck, so dysfunction can refer pain to the temples, side of the head, ears, or even behind the eyes. Treating the jaw can ease related symptoms.

4. Should I see a dentist or a physio first?
If you’ve had recent dental work or suspect your bite is involved, a collaborative approach is best. But if you have tight muscles, posture-related issues, or grinding habits, physio is a great first step — and we can refer you on if needed.

5. What exercises can I do for TMJ pain?
Gentle controlled opening and side glides, chin tucks, tongue-to-palate breathing, and postural drills are helpful — but a tailored plan works best.

Bruxism is the medical term for grinding or clenching your teeth, often without realising it. It can happen while you're awake (awake bruxism) or during sleep (sleep bruxism), and it puts significant strain on the jaw muscles, TMJ (jaw joint), teeth, and neck.

Over time, bruxism can lead to:

• Jaw pain or tightness (especially in the morning)

• Headaches or aching behind the eyes

• Clicking, popping, or locking of the jaw

• Worn teeth or dental sensitivity

• Neck and shoulder tension

💡 Common Physiotherapy-Related Causes:

• Stress or anxiety, especially during high-pressure periods

• Overactive jaw muscles (e.g., masseter, temporalis)

• Neck dysfunction or poor posture increasing jaw load

• Breathing pattern disorders (e.g., mouth breathing or shallow chest breathing)

• Poor sleep quality or jaw positioning at night

🛠️ What You Can Do:

• ✅ Use heat packs over the cheeks and temples to relax jaw muscles

• ✅ Avoid chewing gum or overly hard foods

• ✅ Become aware of daytime clenching — try the “lips together, teeth apart” rule

• ✅ Practice jaw relaxation techniques (guided by a physio)

• ✅ Focus on diaphragmatic breathing to reduce stress

• ✅ Ensure your neck and jaw are supported during sleep

👩‍⚕️ How Physio Can Help:

• Manual therapy or dry needling to release tight jaw and neck muscles

• Re-education on jaw control, posture, and movement habits

• Training in jaw relaxation, breathing, and nervous system regulation

• Addressing underlying neck or TMJ dysfunction

• Liaison with dentists for night splints if needed

• Tailored exercises to restore balance and reduce overload

🙋‍♀️ Answers to Common Questions

1. Why do I grind my teeth?
Most often, it's due to stress, anxiety, or subconscious muscle tension. It can also stem from poor sleep, neck dysfunction, or breathing issues. Sometimes, it becomes a learned habit that continues even after the original trigger passes.

2. Is bruxism only a dental issue?
No — while dentists often address tooth damage or make splints, physiotherapists help treat the muscular and postural components that contribute to jaw tension and clenching.

3. Can physio help with jaw clenching during the day?
Yes — we teach awareness techniques, relaxation drills, and postural corrections to reduce unconscious clenching. Releasing tight muscles can also break the cycle of tension.

4. Why is my jaw sore when I wake up?
This is a hallmark sign of nighttime bruxism. The jaw muscles work hard during sleep if you’re grinding or clenching — leading to morning stiffness, tenderness, or even headaches.

5. How do I know if I grind my teeth at night?
Common signs include:

• Jaw or face soreness in the morning

• Headaches behind the eyes or temples

• Cracked or worn-down teeth

• Clicking jaw joints

• Your partner may hear it at night

6. Will a night splint fix it?
A night guard can protect your teeth, but it doesn’t stop the clenching itself. Physio can address the muscular, postural, and breathing-related causes, giving you a more complete solution.

7. What’s the best way to relax the jaw?
Start with the “lips together, teeth apart” rule, add heat and gentle massage, and practice slow, deep breathing through your nose. Physio can guide you with a personalised relaxation routine.

8. Can poor posture make bruxism worse?
Yes — slouched or forward head posture increases jaw muscle tension. Improving your neck alignment and posture helps reduce unnecessary strain on the TMJ and surrounding tissues.

Sometimes, jaw pain isn’t coming from the jaw at all — it’s actually being referred from the neck. This is more common than people think. Certain neck joints (especially the upper cervical spine: C1–C3) share nerve pathways with the jaw, face, and head. So when those neck joints or muscles become irritated, it can feel like pain in the jaw, cheek, temple, or even teeth.

This is often called referred pain — and the actual problem may lie in your posture, neck mobility, or muscle tension, not your TMJ.

💡 Common Physiotherapy-Related Causes:

• Stiff upper cervical joints (C1–C3)

• Overactive neck muscles referring pain into the jaw and face

• Poor posture — forward head position increases joint and muscle stress

• Previous whiplash or neck injury

• Jaw clenching as a reaction to neck discomfort

🛠️ What You Can Do:

• ✅ Apply heat to the base of the skull and upper neck

• ✅ Avoid staying in the same position for long periods (e.g., working at a desk)

• ✅ Gently stretch the neck and shoulders (chin tucks, shoulder rolls)

• ✅ Try jaw relaxation exercises (lips together, teeth apart)

• ✅ Check your sleep posture and pillow height — poor support strains the neck and jaw

👩‍⚕️ How Physio Can Help:

• Assess whether your jaw pain is referred from the neck

• Perform manual therapy to mobilise the upper cervical spine

• Release trigger points in muscles like the SCM, upper traps, and suboccipitals

• Correct your posture and breathing patterns to reduce jaw load

• Provide a tailored exercise program to restore movement and reduce recurrence

• Collaborate with your dentist or GP if other causes need investigation

🙋‍♀️ Answers to Common Questions

1. How can my neck cause jaw pain?
The nerves in the upper neck also supply the jaw, temple, and parts of the face. If those joints or muscles are irritated, the brain can misinterpret the signal — making it feel like jaw pain, even though the jaw itself is fine.

2. How do I know if my jaw pain is really coming from the neck?
Clues include:

• Jaw pain that starts with neck movement or posture

• Tenderness at the base of the skull or upper neck

• Relief after neck treatment or movement

• Headaches or pain behind the eye, cheek, or temple

3. Can posture really cause jaw pain?
Yes — forward head posture increases tension in the neck and upper back, which can overload the TMJ and referring muscles. Improving posture often reduces both neck and jaw symptoms.

4. What muscles refer pain to the jaw?
Common culprits include the sternocleidomastoid (SCM), suboccipitals, masseter, temporalis, and upper trapezius. These can create pain patterns that mimic jaw dysfunction.

5. Will treating the neck fix my jaw pain?
Often, yes — especially if the jaw joint is structurally fine but the pain is referred. Physiotherapy focused on the neck, posture, and breathing can lead to significant relief.

6. Is this the same as TMJ dysfunction?
Not exactly. TMJ dysfunction is based in the jaw joint itself, while referred jaw pain from the neck comes from outside the jaw, even though it feels similar. A physio can help you tell the difference.

7. Can a previous neck injury cause jaw pain later?
Yes — especially after whiplash, a fall, or long-term neck strain. The neck-jaw connection can stay sensitive long after the initial injury if not treated properly.

8. Do I need a scan to find out?
In most cases, no. A thorough physio assessment is usually enough to diagnose referred jaw pain from the neck and guide treatment effectively. Imaging may only be required if symptoms are severe, worsening, or involve other red flags.

TMJ-related headaches are headaches that originate from dysfunction in the temporomandibular joint (jaw joint) and its surrounding muscles. These headaches are typically felt in the temples, sides of the head, behind the eyes, or even near the ears — and are often confused with tension headaches or migraines.

Jaw clenching, grinding (bruxism), and TMJ dysfunction can overload the masseter, temporalis, and neck muscles, which share nerve pathways with parts of the head and face — leading to referred pain that feels like a headache.

💡 Common Physiotherapy-Related Causes:

• Jaw clenching or teeth grinding, especially at night

• Tightness in the jaw or temple muscles (masseter, temporalis)

• Neck or postural dysfunction (forward head posture = more jaw load)

• Stress, anxiety, or poor breathing mechanics

• TMJ disc dysfunction or joint stiffness

🛠️ What You Can Do:

• ✅ Apply heat to the temples, jaw muscles, and upper neck

• ✅ Avoid chewing gum, hard foods, or long conversations when sore

• ✅ Practice the “lips together, teeth apart” relaxation cue

• ✅ Stretch your neck and jaw gently, and breathe deeply through your nose

• ✅ Keep your teeth apart when concentrating, working, or stressed

👩‍⚕️ How Physio Can Help:

• Identify whether your headaches are jaw-related or cervicogenic

• Release tension through manual therapy or dry needling

• Retrain your jaw and neck muscles to move more freely and with less strain

• Teach breathing and relaxation strategies to reduce jaw tension

• Correct posture and ergonomic factors contributing to overload

• Work alongside dentists if night splints or further input are needed

🙋‍♀️ Answers to Common Questions

1. How do I know if my headaches are coming from my jaw?
If your headaches are located at the temples, sides of the head, behind the eyes, or near the ears — and you also have jaw tightness, clicking, or clenching — there’s a strong chance your TMJ is involved.

2. What does a TMJ headache feel like?
It’s usually a tight, pressure-like or aching pain in the side of the head or temples. It might feel worse when chewing, clenching, or after a long day at the desk. It may come with jaw clicking, soreness, or tension.

3. Are TMJ headaches the same as migraines?
No — though they’re often confused. TMJ headaches are mechanical in origin, meaning they come from muscle or joint overload. Migraines tend to have neurological symptoms like aura, nausea, or light sensitivity. A physio can help distinguish the two.

4. Can I get these headaches even if I don’t grind my teeth?
Yes — clenching during the day, poor posture, jaw tension, and neck dysfunction can all trigger TMJ-related headaches without any grinding at night.

5. Can stress cause TMJ headaches?
Absolutely. Stress is one of the most common contributors. It leads to jaw clenching, shallow breathing, and poor posture — all of which increase strain on the TMJ and surrounding muscles.

6. Will physio help even if I’ve had these headaches for years?
Yes. Chronic TMJ-related headaches often respond well to manual therapy, movement re-education, and muscle retraining — especially when previous treatments haven’t worked.

7. Do I need a mouth guard or splint?
Possibly — if you’re grinding at night. But splints are only part of the solution. Physio can address the muscular, postural, and behavioural factors contributing to your pain, often with better long-term outcomes.

8. What exercises help with TMJ headaches?
Gentle jaw relaxation drills, breathing techniques, neck stretches, and posture resets are all helpful. But the best results come from a program tailored to your specific movement patterns and symptoms.