When people think of TMJ pain, they usually picture the jaw itself — especially the masseter muscles, which are among some of the strongest in the body. But if you’re one of the 15% of adults living with temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD), it turns out that your neck might also be worth paying attention to.
Studies show that when your jaw is tense, your neck often is too, which signals just how connected these two muscle groups are. But can regular neck massage help TMJ pain — and if so, what’s the best way to try it?
Read on to learn about the benefits of neck massage for TMJ pain, along with some helpful tips and techniques to try.
What Is Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMD)?
Temporomandibular joint pain is casually referred to as TMJ, but the more accurate term is “TMD,” which stands for temporomandibular joint dysfunction. TMD can show up from a wide variety of different causes, and no two cases are exactly alike.
The main sign of TMD is jaw or facial pain, usually focused around the large masseter muscles or jaw joints themselves. It can also come with symptoms like:
- Ear popping or ringing
- Clicking when opening or closing the jaw
- Dental pain or toothaches
- Headaches
- Stiffness or “locking” in the jaw joint
- Referred pain in the neck and shoulders
Common Triggers Behind TMJ Pain
While there’s no single cause of TMD, the good news is that it’s usually treatable — and for many people, it’s partially correlated to stress. When your body is stuck in fight-or-flight mode, you might experience muscle tension, jaw clenching, or teeth grinding at night, all of which can lead to the hallmark pain and stiffness of TMD. Luckily, if stress is at the root of your jaw pain, the right self-care tools can make a big difference over time.
With that said, many cases of TMD are more complex than simple muscle tension. Even if stress exacerbates your symptoms, there may be another root cause (or several) playing a role — such as a past jaw injury, arthritis, poor posture, or a bite alignment issue.
How Is It Treated?
Treating TMD usually starts with identifying and addressing the source of your symptoms, whatever that might be for you. For example, if your doctor or dentist suspects teeth grinding at night, you might be prescribed a mouthguard to protect your jaw while you sleep. In the meantime, they might suggest specific exercises, massage, or certain medications to help relax tight muscles.
For more serious cases of TMD, treatments might include:
- Trigger point injections
- Ultrasound therapy
- TMJ surgery, if other interventions haven’t worked in the past
When To See Your Doctor for TMJ Pain
If your jaw still feels tender, stiff, or painful after a week or two of self-care measures, it’s best to make an appointment with your doctor. In addition, seek medical attention right away if your pain is sudden or severe, or if you’re unable to open or close your mouth fully.
The Role of Muscle Tension in TMJ Pain
Muscle tension and TMD often go hand-in-hand, which is why massage is such a popular remedy. The masseters — the main chewing muscles that power your jaw — are some of the first to tighten up, especially when dealing with anxiety or chronic stress. But if you live with TMD, you know it rarely stays (or starts) just here.
The temple and inner jaw muscles are commonly affected, too. And if poor body mechanics or bite misalignment are factors, it can lead to a tension “chain” in the upper body, sometimes reaching into the neck and shoulders. This can affect muscles like the:
- Sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscles on the front sides of the neck
- Suboccipital muscles, or those at the base of the skull
- Trapezius muscles, or the large, diamond-shaped muscles that span across the upper back and neck
- Levator scapulae muscles, or the deeper side neck muscles
All of the muscles involved here may, in part, explain why research has found a strong link between TMD severity and neck pain.
Can Neck Massage Help TMJ Pain?
Since tension plays such a big role in how TMJ pain shows up, many people find that gentle neck massage techniques — focused on muscle relaxation and healthy jaw mechanics — can bring some relief.
Research seems to support this, too. One 2022 trial looked at the effects of upper cervical (neck) manual therapy — a hands-on technique involving soft tissue manipulation and mobilization — on TMD symptoms.
Everyone in the study received routine care, including TENS therapy, ultrasound, and a gentle masseter massage. But the experimental group received additional manual therapy focused on both the jaw and upper neck, provided by a trained physical therapist. While both groups improved, those who received the added manual therapy showed better results in pain and mobility.
Of course, advanced manual therapy isn’t always an option when you’re dealing with TMJ pain — but gentle, everyday neck massage may still bring benefits like:
Easing Built-Up Tension
When the muscles in your neck are tight, they can cause “referred” pain — or pain that shows up in seemingly unrelated areas. And because the muscles and connective tissue in the neck can directly impact the jaw (and vice versa), tension in one area often spills over into the other.
The good news? Massage can soothe overworked neck muscles like the upper trapezius muscles, which could be adding background stress to your jaw. Over time, this may help curb tension affecting your TMJ joints, while soothing the upper body as a whole.
Supporting Healthy Posture
Did you know that research suggests a strong link between TMD and poor posture? It’s thought that the same nerve pathways play a role in both jaw and body alignment, and certain types of posture may even contribute to TMJ pain. The most common of which is forward head posture, which can strain the upper body and concentrate tension where the neck, skull, and jaw meet.
Thankfully, a proper neck massage helps soothe and stretch muscles that can “lock up” due to poor postural habits. These can include the:
- Upper trapezius muscles (which stretch along the back of your neck and the top of your shoulders)
- Scalenes (small muscles at the sides of your neck)
- Pectorals (chest muscles that aren’t in your neck but that can tug your shoulders forward, indirectly affecting neck and jaw alignment)
Soothing Mental and Physical Stress
If you live with TMJ pain, you’re probably no stranger to the fact that stress can be a major factor. When your body is in fight-or-flight mode, cortisol and other stress hormones surge – leading to physiological changes like increased heart rate and muscle tension. Unfortunately, too much of this response can lead to tight masseter muscles and painful habits like teeth clenching or grinding.
Luckily, a good neck massage can calm stress and help your body shift into its natural relaxation mode. And similar to other feel-good activities like eating chocolate or laughing, it may also promote the release of endorphins — hormones thought to be involved in the stress relief process.
Before You Try Neck Massage for TMD
When done correctly, massage is a generally safe and soothing complementary tool for people with mild TMD. However, it’s important to keep some safety tips in mind before getting started, especially if you have serious jaw pain or any underlying health conditions. Remember to:
- Check with your doctor ahead of time if your jaw pain is severe or linked to nerve issues, arthritis, a previous injury, or other health concerns.
- Start with gentle pressure. The neck muscles are delicate, even at the back, so it’s key to start with light massage and gradually increase as needed. (And in all cases, be sure to stick to light pressure around the front and sides of the neck to protect the sensitive structures here!)
- Avoid putting direct pressure on your throat or spine.
- Listen to your body. If massage feels more painful than soothing, lighten your pressure — and if things still feel uncomfortable, it’s a sign to stop for now.
3 Ways To Try Neck Massage for TMJ Relief
Whether your goal is to manage stress, reduce TMJ tension, or get more mindful about how you hold your jaw and neck during everyday posture, here are three neck massage options to consider trying:
Self-Neck and Jaw Massage
To get started, an easy option is to apply a gentle self-neck massage with some optional focused techniques around the masseter muscles themselves. Here’s how it works:
- Start by sitting comfortably and taking a deep breath. Mindfully notice and release the tension in your jaw, shoulders, and neck.
- Use both hands to lightly compress the back-of-neck muscles. Apply gentle, broad motions to massage from the top of the neck down toward the shoulders.
- Next, use your fingers to massage the back-of-neck muscles in spreading motions. Start at the center of the neck and gently glide outward across the muscles for one minute.
- Optionally, you can finish with a masseter release. Place your fingers at the bottom of both sides of your jaw. Lightly push the muscles upward, and hold for a few seconds.
Looking for extra guidance on relaxing and releasing the jaw muscles? This video from a licensed massage therapist is a great resource.
Relax With a Neck Massager
If you’re seeking an easier way to release neck tension at the end of every day, you can try a neck-friendly massager rather than using your hands. The MedMassager Neck Massager is a tool that blends kneading massage with heat to curb muscle tension — making it a helpful option if you notice TMJ and neck strain often showing up together.
Here are the steps to using a tool like this one:
- Align the massager around your neck muscles, using the straps to ensure it’s in a comfortable position.
- Turn it to the gentlest massage level. (Optionally, you can switch on the heat to help your muscles relax a bit more deeply.)
- Allow the massager to gently knead your muscles for one minute.
- After your muscles are warmed up, increase the pressure if it feels good to you.
- Massage for 5-10 minutes.
Professional Massage
Self-massage can be great for easing mild neck and jaw tension, but for those with more serious TMD, postural issues, tension headaches, or other symptoms adding to your discomfort, you may want to talk to your doctor about trying professional massage instead. Seeing a certified MT can be a good option if you’re after:
- Personalized treatment based on your unique symptoms, posture, and tension patterns.
- The use of the safest techniques around the sensitive neck and jaw muscles.
- Deeper, more precise work on areas that can be hard to reach on your own — like the suboccipital, trapezius, or deeper jaw muscles.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’re new to trying neck massage for TMJ (or massage in general), it’s normal to have some questions about how it all works. Here are a few answers to help clear things up as you get started:
Do I Need To Massage the Jaw Directly, or Can Neck Massage Work on Its Own?
Focusing on just your neck muscles can be an easy way to get some all-over relief, but many people find it beneficial to add in some gentle jaw massage as well. You can stick to the outer masseter muscles, or, optionally, try adding intraoral techniques into your routine.
What Can I Combine With Neck Massage for More Relief?
On its own, regular neck massage can help ease tension and support healthy alignment — but if you want to round out your TMJ relief routine even more, you can:
- Aim to stay in healthy, aligned posture while you massage. This reduces extra strain on the neck and jaw, and also helps you build mindfulness around how you hold your body.
- Talk to a doctor or dentist about exercises that can pair well with massage. Research shows that the right movements focused on jaw alignment and mobility can often bring more relief.
- Consider applying heat to areas that feel stiff or tense, as warmth can encourage blood flow and muscle relaxation.
- Practice deep breathing and/or mindfulness while you massage. Techniques like the physiological sigh (two sharp inhales, followed by one long exhale) may help calm muscle tension by relaxing the nervous system.
Other Remedies for TMJ Pain Relief
Neck massage can play a supportive role for TMD relief, but it’s a complementary tool — meaning it’s not a cure and is best used alongside your prescribed treatments. With that being said, if TMJ pain is getting in the way of your daily life, here are some remedies that may be worth asking your doctor about:
Jaw Exercises for Mobility and Joint Health
Jaw exercises are often recommended as part of TMJ care, since they can help reduce tension, boost blood flow, and retrain your jaw to move in a healthier way. As part of your treatment, your healthcare provider might suggest movements like:
- Goldfish exercises. These are very gentle jaw movements that involve partly opening and closing the mouth (like a goldfish would!).
- Resisted jaw opening. Stay in good posture, and press your thumb under your chin as you open your jaw. This gentle resistance can help strengthen the facial and jaw muscles.
- Controlled jaw opening. From a relaxed position, slowly open your jaw as far as you can while keeping your tongue on the roof of your mouth. Try to open straight down without letting your jaw shift to either side.
Stress Management
Because anxiety and TMD are so deeply linked, stress management (and treating any underlying mental health disorders) can be a helpful part of your treatment plan.
If you’re simply in need of some daily stress relief, self-massage can be a useful jumping off point – but you might also benefit from:
- Regular exercise
- Meditation and mindfulness practices
- Being more involved in a community and/or spending more time with friends
- Eating a diet rich in nutrients that support mental health
The Takeaway
Even though it may not always target the jaw directly, a good neck massage can often bring benefits for TMJ pain — from easing upper body tension to promoting healthy posture and even curbing mental stress that could be adding to jaw discomfort.
If you have severe jaw pain or other symptoms, it’s important to check with your doctor before getting started. With the green light, you can try soothing hands-on neck massage techniques like kneading or gliding, or even opt for a home tool like those from MedMassager.
Learn more about how the MedMassager Neck Massager works today, or explore the full range of home tools here.
