Neck Pain and TMJ

Neck pain and jaw pain are so closely linked that it’s often impossible to treat one while ignoring the other. Many people with TMJ dysfunction also carry tightness and aching in the neck, and many people with chronic neck tension find their jaw is affected too. The two regions work as a single coordinated system.

The reason is both structural and muscular. The muscles of the jaw, the base of the skull, and the upper neck are deeply interconnected, and they share nerve pathways that can refer pain back and forth. Forward head posture, the all-too-common position from looking down at phones and screens, increases the load on these muscles, pulls the jaw out of its natural resting position, and feeds a cycle of tension that radiates between the neck and jaw.

This is where whole-body massage really shines. Rather than treating the jaw in isolation, addressing the neck, the muscles at the base of the skull, and the shoulders relieves the tension patterns that keep the TMJ aggravated. Releasing these areas improves posture, restores easier movement, and calms the nervous system so the whole region can settle. Our TMJ-focused massage and SomaFace techniques in Parkville take this connected approach, treating the neck and jaw as the linked system they truly are.

If your neck pain is severe, follows an injury, or comes with numbness, tingling, or weakness in the arms, please see a medical provider to rule out other causes. For the everyday muscular tension that links the neck and jaw, consistent bodywork can break the cycle and bring lasting relief.