TMJ Pain? Chiropractic Might Be the Missing Piece

Welcome back to the Wellness Minute. I’m Dr. Brent Johnson.

Let’s talk about something a lot of people deal with but rarely connect to chiropractic care—TMJ pain. If you’ve ever had jaw clicking, tension while chewing, or unexplained headaches and facial pain, your temporomandibular joint—or TMJ—might be the culprit.

This small joint, located just in front of your ear, plays a huge role in chewing, talking, and even breathing. When it’s not moving properly, it can cause headaches, earaches, neck pain, jaw locking, and even upper back tension.

So, how does chiropractic help?

First, we assess how the jaw is functioning—but we also look beyond it. The TMJ doesn’t operate in isolation. It’s influenced by your head posture, neck alignment, and even tension in the upper back and shoulders. Many people with TMJ issues also have forward head posture or tightness in the neck that’s throwing off jaw mechanics.

Through gentle adjustments—sometimes including the jaw itself—we can help realign the structures around the TMJ. We also use soft tissue release techniques to relieve tension in the muscles responsible for clenching and grinding.

Stress plays a big role here, too. People often hold tension in the jaw without realizing it—especially during sleep. That’s why we often recommend relaxation techniques and exercises to help retrain the jaw muscles.

If you’re dealing with chronic headaches, facial pain, or jaw discomfort, don’t overlook the role of alignment and muscle tension. Chiropractic care may be the missing piece that brings relief.

Give us a call or visit our site to learn more. We’d love to help you smile, chew, and talk without pain.

Catch you next time.