Jaw Pain

Do you wake up with a stiff jaw? Does your jaw click, pop, or feel locked when you try to eat, talk, or yawn? If you are living with persistent jaw pain, headaches, or even earaches, you might be experiencing Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Dysfunction, commonly known as TMD.

While it can feel like a nagging, chronic problem, there is good news: Physical therapy is one of the most effective, non-invasive ways to treat TMD issues!

Instead of relying solely on medication to mask the symptoms, physical therapy addresses the root cause of your pain to restore smooth, comfortable motion.

What is TMJ Disorder?

The TMJ connects your jawbone to your skull. When this joint—or the surrounding muscles, ligaments, and cartilage—becomes overworked, injured, or inflamed, it leads to pain and dysfunction.

Common causes include:

Chronic teeth clenching or grinding
Poor posture
Stress, which causes muscle tension in the jaw, neck, and shoulders.
Joint imbalances or stiffness.

How Physical Therapy Helps TMJ Issues

Physical therapy works by relaxing tight muscles, strengthening weak ones, and improving the tracking of the jaw joint. Here is what a typical TMJ physical therapy plan includes:

1. Manual Therapy

Side Street PT uses hands-on techniques to directly target the muscles involved in chewing. This includes soft tissue massage, joint mobilization, dry needling, and trigger point release on the jaw and neck muscles to relieve tension and increase blood flow.

2. Targeted Jaw Exercises

Just like any other joint, the jaw benefits from guided movement. We teach you specific exercises and gentle stretching, to improve your range of motion.

3. Postural Correction

Many people don’t realize that jaw tension often stems from the neck and shoulders. Postural retraining helps realign your spine and reduce the load on your jaw.

4. Habit Education

We help you identify and break daily habits that worsen your symptoms, such as chewing gum, biting your nails, or clenching your jaw when stressed.

What to Expect at Your First Session

During your first appointment, your physical therapist will perform a comprehensive evaluation of your jaw movement, neck mobility, and posture. 

From there, a personalized plan is developed to reduce pain, increase mobility, and get you back to eating, talking, and laughing without discomfort.

Start Your Journey to a Relaxed Jaw

You don’t have to live with daily jaw pain. Physical therapy offers a safe, natural, and effective alternative to surgery or lifelong pain medication.

Book an evaluation with Dr. Josh today and take the first step toward lasting relief.