Maak een afspraak

Trigger points often cause jaw and face pain

Wolf met opengesperde kaak

Trigger points often cause jaw and facial pain

Do you also suffer from jaw pain and want tips on how to get rid of it? Knowing what to do and what better not to do gives some people some immediate relief. Trigger points and tension in the neck, shoulders and jaws are often the cause of jaw and face pain.

Number of people with jaw complaints skyrocketing

After the corona era, more and more people report having jaw and face pain. But also neck and headaches due to high jaw tension. There are several reasons for this. One is the prolonged wearing of a mouth mask which many of us did during the corona years.

Stress is a big culprit

Another cause is stress. We imperceptibly fix stress in the jaws by frequently clenching teeth together and grinding teeth. Many trigger points then develop in the muscles around the jaw, which can cause radiating pain to the jaw, head and ears. Trigger points can also cause radiation from the neck to the head and jaw.

Connective tissue disorders can also cause jaw pain. Or if you sat at the dentist for a dental procedure with your mouth wide open for a long time, without frequent breaks.

TMD of TMJ- syndrome

This type of jaw problem is also known as TMD or TMJ. This stands for temporomandibular dysfunction or temporomandibular joint. It is a common condition that can affect the functionality of the jaw quite adversely. Chewing may hurt, opening of the mouth may be restricted, or you may hear a snapping sound while chewing. Ear ache, headache and neck pain are also often the result of TMD. So what now?

Give the jaw joint a rest

It is important to rest the jaw joint. This is easier said than done, as many of us have certain ‘oral habits’ that we are not (yet) aware of. Examples of unconscious ‘nervous traits’ may include; jaw clenching, grinding, chewing on the inside of the cheek, pushing with the tongue against the teeth, lip spitting, biros chewing or nail biting. We do these things to channel tension. Awareness of these oral habits we have taught ourselves is the first step towards unlearning them and recovery. Moreover, when we get these habits under control during the day’s, we also benefit at night. In time, we will do less during our sleep jaw clenching and grinding.

Set an alarm for a quick body scan

It may help to unlearn jaw-clenching habits by setting an alarm on your phone that goes off every 20 – 30 minutes. Then check in with yourself as soon as the alarm goes off; ‘how is my posture? Are my jaws relaxed? Shoulders down? Where is my tongue (not against the teeth or floating in the mouth, but in the ‘anchor’ against palate). Are my lips and jaws relaxed?’ At first, this seems like a task to be so concerned with, but very soon you will find that you will start replacing wrong habits with good healthier ones. And with that, the symptoms will start to diminish.

Tips to reduce jaw pain

  • Try not to open the mouth too far, even when yawning or laughing (then support the lower jaw)
  • Do not eat gum, liquorice or other hard and tough foods
  • Eat smaller portions
  • Try not to let the jaw ‘snap’
  • Biting off with the front teeth is hurting your jaw, use of canines is less harmful for the joint
  • Preferably chew on the side where the pain is (then you strain the opposite side)
  • Avoid sleeping on your stomach!
  • Never put a hand against the jaw while sleeping (in side position), but neither when listening intently to someone.
  • Avoid a hard and high pillow to sleep on

Good posture during the day and at night

Try to work on good posture. In particular, carrying the head forward (off the central axis) is very stressful for the jaw joint. Think about this when you sleep, too. We sleep 1/3 of our lives. The wrong sleeping position is comparable to looking down at your phone for 8 hours at a time. You can probably imagine how stressful that is…. Therefore, try to avoid the foetal sleep position with your knees raised, as your jaw joint cannot relax in this position. Position yourself with your head straight above your shoulders on your side on your pillow, or sleep in supine position.

Exercises that help reduce jaw discomfort.

There are plenty of exercises you can do to reduce tension in your jaw and relieve pain. Let me share two with you to get started.

Chin Tuck exercise

Strengthening your neck muscles greatly helps in maintaining a healthier posture. A simple and effective exercise is the Chin Tuck. The Chin Tuck exercise offers several benefits:

  1. Strengthening deep neck muscles: It activates the deep cervical flexors, muscles essential for neck stability and good posture. This also gives your jaw muscles the opportunity to relax.
  2. Correcting forward head position: Helps return the head to a neutral position, especially if you have a ‘forward head posture’ due to prolonged screen use.
  3. Reducing neck pain: By reducing the strain on the muscles and joints in the neck.
  4. Improved posture: It supports a straight spine and prevents a forward-rounded upper back.

Execution:
Sit upright or stand with your back against a wall, gently tuck your chin in as if making a ‘double chin’. Keep your head looking straight ahead and your neck long. Visualize, as if, a string pulling you upward from the crown of your head. Hold this position for 5 seconds and then relax. Repeat 10 times.

Controlled Jaw Opening

  • Reducing tension in the jaw muscles.
  • Promoting smooth movements of the jaw joint.
  • Help restore proper jaw alignment.

Execution:

Sit upright in a relaxed posture. Keep your lips closed but your teeth apart (relaxed jaw position). Gently place your tongue tip against the roof of your mouth, just behind your front teeth. Open your mouth slowly and in a controlled manner while keeping your tongue tip in place. Stop opening if you feel your tongue threatening to come loose or if it becomes uncomfortable. Then gently close your mouth again. Repeat 8- 12 times in a row. Practice 2-3 times a day, especially after activities that stress your jaw such as chewing or talking. The tongue position against the roof of your mouth, helps to keep the jaw in proper alignment while opening and closing the mouth in a calm and controlled manner. This prevents overloading the jaw joint and relaxes the chewing muscles.

Make an appointment if you need support and help with trigger point release and connective tissue loosening around the neck, shoulders and jaw.