Is Your TMJ Jaw Pain Actually Coming from Your Neck?

Jaw pain, tension or clenching? It might be coming from your neck.

Discover a natural, non-invasive option that treats the root cause of TMJ and jaw pain — not just the symptoms.

Feel Like You’re Chasing Your Own TMJ Pain?

If you’re Googling things like “why does my jaw hurt when I’m not even chewing?” or “how do I stop clenching my jaw in my sleep?”, chances are you’re at your wit’s end. I see you.

TMJ pain—whether it’s jaw clicking, clenching, tightness, or facial tension—can be incredibly frustrating. It sneaks into your sleep, ruins your morning, makes meals uncomfortable, and sometimes even feels like a constant pressure around your ears, temples, or face. But here’s the thing no one’s told you yet: your TMJ pain might actually be coming from your neck.

Let’s Talk About What You Might Be Feeling

You might wake up with your jaw feeling like it’s already done a full day’s work. You stretch, you yawn, and something clicks—or worse, sticks.

Maybe you’ve noticed:

• You’re clenching or grinding at night (or being told you are)

• Headaches that start at the base of your skull and creep forward

• A strange pressure behind your eyes or in your ears

• Neck stiffness that’s now just part of your “normal”

• That sense of holding tension you can’t seem to let go of

And let’s not forget the way stress makes it all worse. It’s like your whole upper body is permanently bracing for something—and you can’t shut it off.

Why This Is Often Missed (Even by Well-Meaning Practitioners)

Here’s the tricky bit: the jaw and the neck are deeply connected—structurally, neurologically, and functionally. But because healthcare is often so compartmentalised (dentist for jaw, physio for neck, psychologist for stress), no one’s looking at the whole picture.

In my practice, I see this all the time:

Someone comes in thinking they need a new mouthguard, a stronger anti-inflammatory, or a better pillow. But what they really need is a reset—a way to unwind the patterns their body has been holding onto for years.

A Few Things You Can Try at Home First

While you’re exploring treatment options, here are a few simple, supportive things that can help:

1. Mind Your Posture (Without Judging Yourself)

This isn’t about “standing up straight” or becoming a yoga guru overnight. It’s about noticing how much time you spend with your head jutting forward over your phone or laptop. Tiny shifts—like lifting your screen or taking movement breaks—can make a real difference over time.

2. Give Your Nervous System a Breather

Jaw tension is often a nervous system thing, not a muscle thing. Try humming, gentle shaking (like bouncing on your heels), or long exhales through your nose. These things send “I’m safe” messages to your body—and a relaxed jaw often follows.

3. Heat and Hydration Go a Long Way

A warm compress on your neck and jaw before bed can help muscles stop guarding. And staying well-hydrated supports the fascia and connective tissues, making everything feel a little less “stuck”.

So... "What’s FSM and Why Haven’t I Heard of It?"

FSM—or Frequency Specific Microcurrent—is one of those therapies that sounds a bit sci-fi at first, but is surprisingly down-to-earth once you experience it.

It uses gentle electrical currents (think: less than your phone battery) to talk directly to the tissues and nerves in your body. Each frequency targets a specific issue—like inflammation, nerve pain, emotional holding, or joint dysfunction—and encourages the body to shift out of stress or injury mode and into repair mode.

In the case of TMJ or neck pain, FSM can:

• Release deep muscle tension without force or manipulation

• Calm down an overactive stress response

• Restore coordination between the jaw, neck, and shoulder muscles

• Address the actual root cause—whether it’s vestibular, structural, or emotional

Real People, Real Shifts

One of my clients—let’s call her Sarah—came in convinced her jaw pain was just something she’d have to “live with”. She’d had X-rays, splints, a dental review, physio, the whole lot. But nothing really stuck.

After one FSM session focusing on her upper cervical spine and jaw muscles, she blinked at me and said, “I don’t know how to describe this… but my face and jaw feels quiet and relaxed.”

By session three, she wasn’t clenching at night anymore. Her headaches were down, her mood was up, and for the first time in years, she wasn’t waking up bracing for that distracting tight pain.

What If There’s Nothing Wrong With You—Just Something Out of Sync?

I always say: pain is a request for change, not a sign you’re broken. And jaw pain especially is rarely just jaw pain. It’s often your body saying, “Hey, something upstream needs your attention.”

Whether that’s your neck, your nervous system, your past injuries—or even the emotional load you’ve been carrying—it all matters. And FSM gives us a way to listen and respond, gently and specifically.

Let’s Find the Real Cause—Together

If you’re tired of managing symptoms and ready to find out why your jaw is always sore or tight, I’d love to chat. You don’t have to push through, you don’t have to settle, and you’re not imagining it.

Book your free 15-minute discovery call and let’s explore whether FSM might be the missing piece in your healing puzzle.

Useful Links:

• Learn more about FSM for TMJ & Jaw Pain

• Book in for a Free15 Consult