Can Chiropractic Care Help Jaw Pain and TMJ Disorders?

Jaw pain, clicking, or stiffness occurring during eating or talking are often signs of temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ or TMD). The temporomandibular joint connects your lower jaw to your skull and plays a large role in everyday movements like eating, speaking, and breathing. When this joint isn’t tracking correctly or functioning properly, it can cause jaw discomfort, headaches, tooth ache, neck stiffness, and ear pain.

So where does chiropractic care come in? Not only can chiropractors assess and adjust the jaw itself, but it must be taken into account that the TMJ doesn’t work in isolation. It’s closely connected to the muscles and nerves of the neck and upper spine, which means dysfunction in these areas can directly affect how the jaw moves and feels. For example, poor posture, stress-related clenching, or spinal misalignments can all contribute to uneven tension in the muscles that control jaw movement.

A chiropractor will check your posture, spinal alignment, and muscle balance in the jaw and the rest of the body. Treatment may include gentle chiropractic adjustments to the neck or jaw, aiming to improve joint mechanics and reduce nerve irritation. Soft tissue therapy, such as trigger point release around the jaw and upper neck, helps calm overactive muscles and restore proper motion. A chiropractor may also utilize a tool for precise, gentle adjustments of the TMJ itself. Less is more when it comes to the jaw, so don’t be surprised if small tweaks make big changes. 

Research has shown that conservative, manual therapies like chiropractic adjustments and soft tissue work can significantly reduce TMJ pain and improve jaw function for many patients. Chiropractors may also advise their patients on jaw relaxation techniques, stretching exercises, and ergonomic strategies to help prevent symptoms from returning.

If you’ve been dealing with ongoing jaw pain, clicking, catching, or other forms of discomfort, chiropractic care offers a safe, natural, and evidence-based approach to relief. By restoring alignment and balance throughout the musculoskeletal system, we help your jaw, and the rest of your body, function the way it was meant to.