Neck Pain and Jaw Pain in Upper East Side: How They’re Connected

If you’ve been dealing with both neck tension and jaw discomfort, the two might be more connected than you think. Many patients in the Upper East Side experience tightness or clicking in the jaw (often called TMJ pain) along with stiffness in the neck, and it’s rarely a coincidence.

How the Neck and Jaw Are Connected
Your jaw and neck share muscles, nerves, and joints that work together when you chew, talk, or turn your head. When posture or spinal alignment is off, for example, from looking down at screens or clenching your jaw under stress, the tension travels between both regions. This can lead to:

• Jaw clicking or popping

• Tightness in the neck or shoulders

• Headaches around the temples

• Pain when chewing or opening the mouth wide

How Chiropractic Care Helps
At KIRO, chiropractic adjustments restore proper alignment in the neck and upper spine, which helps reduce the strain traveling into the jaw muscles and joints. By improving motion and nerve communication, tension decreases throughout the entire system, often relieving both jaw and neck pain at once.

Tips for Relief

• Practice relaxed jaw position (teeth slightly apart, tongue resting on the roof of the mouth).

• Avoid chewing gum or hard foods when sore.

• Keep screens at eye level to reduce forward head posture.

• Use gentle heat on tight neck muscles.

• Stretch your jaw and neck daily to maintain mobility.

“Jaw pain and neck pain often feed off each other, the more tension you carry in one, the more it shows up in the other. Once we correct the alignment, the whole system works smoothly again.” — Dr. Saeed Hafez

If you’re in the Upper East Side and dealing with both neck and jaw pain, visit our studio to get evaluated and find lasting relief from the root cause.