Jaw Tension Causing Neck Pain?

A common theme we have seen cropping up in practice lately is neck pain caused by jaw tension. This is known as Temporomandibular Disfunction (TMD).
As chiropractors we like to look at the body holistically and follow its natural kinetic chain, rather than focusing on a singular area of pain.

Causes of TMD may be:
Teeth grinding at night
Nail biting
Degenerative joint disease
Clenching the jaw during times of stress or concentration

Symptoms can vary, however the most common are:

Neck pain
Headaches 
Constant jaw pain
Pain in and around the ear
Jaw pain when eating or yawning
Clicking in the jaw when opening or closing your mouth 
Locking of the joint, making it hard to open or close your mouth

Depending on the underlying cause for your jaw pain we as chiropractors have an array of techniques available to help.

These can include:

• Mobilisations and adjustments to the Temporal Mandibular Joint (TMJ)

• Muscular release for the muscles on both the inside and outside of the mouth

• Neck adjustments or mobilisations, and soft tissue release

• Lifestyle advice, including stress management