Can tmj cause neck and shoulder pain?

Hey, don't stress too much! Our jaw and neck muscles share the same nerve pathways, so it is super common for TMJ to make your shoulders feel incredibly stiff. Try doing some gentle neck rolls and maybe use a hot water bag tonight, it will really help.

Actually, yaar, they are totally connected. I had terrible shoulder stiffness for months and thought it was just my bad desk posture, but my dentist told me it was my TMJ clenching. Getting a mouth guard seriously helped relax my entire upper body. You should get it checked.

I can only speak from my own experience, but my chronic neck stiffness and shoulder aches improved significantly after I started treatment for my TMJ. The physical therapist explained how the jaw muscles pull on the neck. It might be worth discussing this connection with your doctor.

Don't worry, this is a very well-known pattern where jaw tension radiates down to the shoulders. When you clench, those muscles never get to rest. Try to avoid chewing hard stuff like gum, apply some warm heat to your neck, and make sure to consult a specialist soon.

In our time, we always believed that a gentle mustard oil massage on the neck and shoulders can ease this kind of stiffness. But since jaw pain can affect your entire posture, you must also visit a proper doctor to treat the root cause safely.