TMJ Headaches: When Jaw Tension Shows Up as Head and Neck Pain

A TMJ headache is head pain driven by the jaw: usually a dull ache in the temples or the sides of the head from overworked chewing muscles, and it often gets worse when you chew or clench. It is a recognized headache type, and it often comes with neck tension. Treating the jaw and neck muscles and cutting down on clenching usually brings these headaches down. At Shephard Health in Kensington, Calgary, a headache and jaw assessment starts with our $67 new patient exam and treatment, and we direct bill most major insurance providers.

What does a TMJ headache feel like?

• A dull, pressing ache in one or both temples, or around the sides of the head
• Pain that gets worse with chewing, talking a lot, or clenching
• Jaw muscles that feel tired or sore, especially in the morning
• Tenderness when you press on your temples or cheek muscles
• Often jaw clicking, ear fullness, or neck and shoulder tension along with it

Clinicians call it headache attributed to TMD: a headache in the temple area that changes with jaw movement or clenching, and that the same pain comes back when the temple muscle is pressed during an exam.

Why jaw problems cause headaches

The temporalis, one of your main chewing muscles, fans out over the side of your head. When clenching or grinding overworks it, it gets sore and spreads pain across the temple. The masseter in your cheek does the same along the jaw and face. Add a stiff upper neck from desk work, and the pain can spread to the back of the head as well.

Common drivers:

• Daytime clenching while you concentrate, drive or work out
• Grinding at night (bruxism)
• Forward head posture at a screen
• Chewing gum or lots of tough food
• Stress and poor sleep

TMJ headache, tension headache or migraine?

• TMJ headache: dull and pressing, in the temples or sides of the head, worse with chewing or clenching, with tender jaw muscles.
• Tension-type headache: a band of pressure around the head, often with neck and shoulder tension.
• Migraine: often throbbing and one-sided, with nausea or sensitivity to light and sound, lasting hours to days, sometimes with an aura.

They overlap. People with TMD have migraine more often than people without it, and many people have more than one headache type. Treating jaw tension can still help if you also get migraines. More in tension headache vs migraine.

What helps TMJ headaches

1. Catch daytime clenching. Lips together, teeth apart, tongue resting on the roof of your mouth. Set reminders on your phone or a sticker on your monitor.
2. Use warmth. A warm compress on the temples and cheeks for 10 to 15 minutes relaxes tight muscles.
3. Stretch gently. Slow, controlled jaw opening and chin tucks for the neck, a few times a day. See neck pain exercises.
4. Rest the jaw during a flare. Softer foods for a week or two, smaller bites and no gum.
5. Protect your teeth at night. If you grind, ask your dentist about a night guard. It protects your teeth, although research on guards for jaw pain is limited.
6. Get hands-on treatment. A 2023 guideline in The BMJ gave strong recommendations to manual trigger point therapy, jaw mobilization and supervised jaw and posture exercise for chronic TMD pain. That is the core of care from a TMJ chiropractor in Calgary.

Related reading: chiropractic for headaches and massage for tension headaches.

When a headache needs urgent care

Go to emergency or call 911 for:

• A sudden, severe headache, the worst you have ever had
• Headache with fever and a stiff neck, confusion, weakness, numbness, trouble speaking or loss of vision
• Headache after a head injury

See a doctor the same day for:

• A new headache pattern after age 50
• Jaw pain when chewing, with scalp tenderness or vision changes, if you are over 50. This can be giant cell arteritis, which needs urgent medical treatment.

What we do at a TMJ headache visit

Your first visit takes about an hour. We ask about your headache pattern, clenching, sleep and work setup, then examine your jaw movement, the jaw and neck muscles and your posture. If it is safe, we treat the same day with soft tissue work, jaw mobilization and neck care, and give you 2 or 3 exercises to start at home. If anything points to a different headache cause, we tell you and refer you to your physician. Bring your benefits card: we direct bill most major insurance providers.

Frequently asked questions

Can TMJ cause headaches every day?

Yes. If you clench most of the day or grind every night, jaw muscle headaches can show up daily, often worst in the morning or late afternoon.

Where is a TMJ headache located?

Usually in the temples and the sides of the head, sometimes around the ear, cheek or the back of the head when the neck is involved.

Can a chiropractor help TMJ headaches?

Yes, for many people. Hands-on care for the jaw and neck muscles, jaw mobilization and exercise are the treatments with the strongest support for chronic TMD pain.

Should I see a dentist for TMJ headaches?

See your dentist if you grind at night, your teeth are worn or sore, or your bite changed. Many people do best with a dentist for their teeth and a chiropractor for the muscles.

How much is a first visit at Shephard Health?

The new patient exam and treatment is $67, and we direct bill most major insurance providers.

Book your $67 new patient exam and treatment

One hour with a chiropractor: a jaw, neck and headache assessment, treatment on day one if it is safe, and exercises to start at home. We direct bill most major insurance providers, so there is less to pay at the counter and no paperwork for you. Same-day appointments are often available at 1228 Kensington Road NW.

Book my $67 new patient visit

Prefer to talk first? Call (403) 543-7499.