TMJ disorder is primarily associated with the jaw. Most individuals can relate to TMJ disorder by experiencing some combination of jaw pain, limited range of motion, clicking sounds when opening and closing the jaw, or the inability to chew normally. However, many patients do not realize that the symptoms of TMJ dysfunction extend well beyond the jaw.
Many patients may also be experiencing discomfort in areas of the body not associated with the head or jaw, such as the neck and shoulders.
To answer the question of whether TMJ disorder can cause neck and shoulder pain, the simple answer is yes; TMJ dysfunction can definitely contribute to neck and shoulder pain.
The jaw forms part of an intricate network of muscle, connective tissue, and joint functioning together to maintain posture and facilitate movement. The muscles that are responsible for the function of the jaw are intimately connected to the muscles in the neck, head, and upper shoulders.
When the Jaw is operating correctly, all of these muscles serve their functions in unison. When the TMJ is out of alignment or under some form of stress this will often require an increase in the amount of compensation that will be needed from the neck and upper shoulder muscles surrounding the jaw.
Over a period of time, this compensation may develop to produce tension in areas outside of the jaw.
When the effects of force on your jaw are too much for its supporting muscles they may over react.
This will cause increased muscle activity:
Since many people with a disorder of the TMJ find that when symptoms are at their worst their neck can feel very tight or painful.
The connection doesn’t end at the neck.
Muscles operate in interconnected chains and pressure or tension in one location can then impact another area in chain-like fashion, if there is continual pressure in the area around the jaw and neck. It can affect the overall level of postural integrity, muscle balance or comfort level you may have in the upper parts of your body (upper shoulder region).
What patients generally describe are:
Shoulder pain can have numerous causes, however sometimes muscle strain due to TMJ issues are overlooked as a contributing factor.
If you are experiencing neck and shoulder discomfort along with:
When you are experiencing some or all of these symptoms, you should consider if your jaw may be contributing.
We tend to be focused on our most troublesome symptom when approaching our health care. For example if your neck is stiff, you may think that the issue exists in the neck. If your shoulders ache, you may only have an interest in the shoulder area.
Unfortunately, the human body does not work like that.
TMJ (temporomandibular) dysfunction affects the surrounding muscles and jaw mechanics which then leads to other issues in the body surrounding the jaw area. Treating only the symptom will give you limited relief and could introduce additional strains into the body.
That is why a complete and thorough evaluation of the jaw and the jaw function should include information about both where the patient is having pain, as well as information about how the jaw operates.
If you experience frequent neck and shoulder tension in conjunction with painful jaw issues (eg clenching, grinding), you may want to determine if TMJ dysfunction could be a contributing factor. Dr Luis specializes in assessing mechanical TMJ issues, including improper jaw position, poor bite function and muscle imbalances that impact surrounding tissues, to determine the impact they are having on adjacent areas.
By properly assessing these components, the doctor can determine how much the jaw is contributing to the pain you are experiencing. It helps to provide you with the most effective treatment plan by treating the actual cause rather than just the results of the problem.