Could Your Headaches Be Coming From Your Jaw?
Photo Credit: Vitaly Gariev
Headaches, ear pain, and jaw clicking may all be signs of TMJ/TMD. Learn when to see a Physiotherapist for jaw pain and how treatment can help.
A Quick Overview
Jaw pain commonly develops after:
Opening the mouth very wide(for example during a yawn)
A long dental procedure
A blow to the jaw during sports
Motor vehicle accidents
Long-term or chronic clenching or grinding of your teeth
Common symptoms include:
pain in front of the ear or along the jaw
pain that worsens with chewing, talking, or yawning
clicking, popping, or shifting of the jaw
difficulty opening the mouth fully
symptoms that are constant or come and go
So what are some of the less common symptoms that go along with jaw disorders?
Can jaw problems cause headaches?
Headaches are one of the most common symptoms of jaw disorders, although many people don't realize the two can be connected. They’re often felt in the temples, and usually come on in the morning after a night of grinding your teeth. They can also be felt in the forehead or at the base of the skull.
Many people spend months treating headaches with medications or seeing multiple healthcare providers before discovering the source is actually their jaw.
If your headaches are worse first thing in the morning or after eating chewy foods, your jaw could be contributing to your symptoms.
Can jaw problems cause ear pain?
Ear pain is another common symptom of jaw disorders, but it isn't always recognized as being related to the jaw. The ear sits right in front of the jaw joint, and pain in the jaw joint can feel like an ear infection.
You may have seen your doctor, tried some drops that didn’t help, then you were referred to an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist only to have them tell you that your ears are perfectly healthy.
If you can press on the bone just in front of your ear and it reproduces the pain in your ear, your pain is probably coming from your jaw.
When Should You Seek Treatment for Jaw Pain (TMD)?
The earlier a jaw disorder is identified, the easier it often is to treat. Many people experience significant improvement with conservative physiotherapy treatment. Most people associate jaw problems with pain while chewing or clicking in the jaw. But jaw disorders can also cause headaches, ear pain, neck pain, and even facial discomfort. If you've been treating those symptoms without success, your jaw may be the missing piece.
You may have heard the terms TMJ, TMD, or TMJD used interchangeably. While there are small technical differences, they're commonly used to describe problems involving the jaw joint (temporomandibular joint), the muscles that move it, and the surrounding tissues.
Jaw disorders don't always present as jaw pain. Headaches, ear pain, facial pain, and neck discomfort can all originate from the temporomandibular joint and surrounding muscles. If your symptoms haven't improved with other treatments—or your ear and headache assessments have come back normal—a Physiotherapy assessment may help identify whether your jaw is contributing to the problem.
Should you see your dentist first? Your doctor? A specialist, massage therapist, or Physiotherapist? Or should you just tie a string from your tooth to the doorknob and hope for the best? We'll help clear that up.
Is it time to see a Physiotherapist?
Consider booking an assessment if you have:
jaw pain lasting longer than a week
pain that is getting worse
headaches that are worse in the morning
headaches after chewing
unexplained ear pain with a normal ear examination
clicking or locking of the jaw
difficulty opening your mouth
episodes where the jaw catches or temporarily locks open or closed
pain after dental work or an injury
You do not need a referral from your doctor or dentist to see a Physiotherapist in Alberta (unless required by the plan rules of your private health insurance).
What To Expect From TMJ Physio
A thorough assessment will identify the structures, habits and behaviours that are contributing to your symptoms. Your Physiotherapist will measure your range of motion and observe how your jaw moves while opening and closing. Treatment for jaw disorders is tailored to the individual but often includes hands-on therapy, soft tissue techniques, dry needling (including trigger point dry needling or acupuncture where appropriate), exercise, self-management strategies, and education to help reduce habits or behaviours that may be contributing to your symptoms.
A Physiotherapist specializing in jaw treatment will also have some familiarity with other allied providers and what treatment options they may be able to offer including splint and injection therapies. In more advanced cases your physiotherapist can help you navigate the flood of information to make the best treatment decisions for your personal presentation.
If you think your symptoms may be coming from your jaw, book an assessment with a Physiotherapist experienced in treating temporomandibular disorders. Early treatment can often prevent symptoms from becoming persistent and help you get back to eating, talking, and living comfortably.