Jaw Tightness and Neck Pain: What You Need to Know

When people experience neck pain, they often look to poor posture, long hours at a desk or stress as the primary culprits. While these are often the usual causes, another cause that is frequently overlooked is jaw tightness. Yes, your jaw could be playing a significant role in your neck pain and could even be causing your headaches.

Why Jaw Tightness Matters

The jaw and neck are more connected than most people realise. The temporomandibular joint is intricately linked with the muscles and nerves of the head, neck and shoulders. Jaw muscles often become tight or overactive due to habits such as teeth grinding, jaw clenching or even prolonged stress. This tension can radiate downwards, affecting the neck and shoulders.

This can result in:

• Persistent neck pain or stiffness
• Headaches 
• Shoulder tension
• Clicking or popping in the jaw
• Limited jaw opening 
• Pain while chewing

Despite this, jaw tightness often goes undiagnosed in patients seeking relief from neck pain.

Signs to Watch For

If you’re struggling with neck pain and can’t pinpoint the cause, it’s worth paying attention to the following:

• Do you wake up with a sore jaw or headache?
• Do you clench your jaw when stressed or concentrating?
• Have you noticed clicking or locking of the jaw?

If you answered “yes” to any of these, your jaw may be contributing to your neck issues.

How Physiotherapy Can Help

At Invigorate Health and Performance, our practitioners are trained to assess the entire body, not just the site of pain. When it comes to jaw-related neck pain, we take a holistic approach that includes:

• TMJ assessment to evaluate joint movement, muscle tightness, and coordination
• Postural evaluation to identify contributing factors such as forward head posture or shoulder imbalance
• Hands-on therapy including soft tissue release, joint mobilisation and trigger point therapy to relieve tension and improve function

Exercises to Prevent Recurrence

We can also prescribe a tailored exercise program that may include:

1. Jaw Relaxation Techniques – Learning to rest the tongue on the roof of the mouth and keeping the teeth slightly apart.
2. Controlled Jaw Movements – Exercises to improve coordination and reduce clenching, such as gentle open-close motions in front of a mirror.
3. Neck and Postural Strengthening – Exercises like chin tucks, scapular squeezes and thoracic mobility work to support proper head and neck alignment.
4. Breathing Techniques – Diaphragmatic breathing to reduce stress and limit subconscious clenching.

These exercises not only help alleviate current symptoms but also reduce the likelihood of future flare-ups.

Take the Next Step

If you’ve been dealing with stubborn neck pain and feel like you’ve tried everything, it may be time to look beyond the obvious. Our experienced team at Invigorate Health and Performance understands the often-overlooked role of jaw tension in neck discomfort and is here to help you move and feel better.

Book an appointment with us today and take the first step towards a pain-free, fully functional life. Let’s get to the root of your pain, together.

(Published DEC 3, 2025)

Written by: Nicholas Dimos (Senior Physiotherapist)