TMJ Physiotherapy

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the hinge that connects your jaw to your skull, just in front of each ear. When it and the muscles around it are not working comfortably, the result is often grouped together as a TMJ disorder — and it shows up in more ways than people expect: jaw pain, clicking or locking, difficulty opening wide, aching around the ear, and headaches or neck tension that never quite settle.

TMJ physiotherapy assesses how the jaw actually moves and how much of the problem is coming from the joint itself, from the muscles that clench and chew, or from the neck and posture above it. That last part matters: the upper neck and the jaw share nerve pathways, so persistent jaw pain and headaches frequently travel with neck stiffness, and treating one without the other tends to leave the picture half-solved. It is the same whole-chain approach used across our orthopedic and pelvic health care, applied to the jaw.

Common reasons people come in

• Jaw pain or tenderness, on one side or both
• Clicking, popping or grinding when opening or chewing
• The jaw catching or locking, open or closed
• Difficulty opening the mouth fully or chewing comfortably
• Headaches, facial ache or pain around the ear
• Clenching and grinding (bruxism), often worse under stress or overnight
• Jaw tension linked to neck stiffness or poor posture
• Ongoing jaw stiffness after dental work or an injury

How treatment works

After assessment, treatment is built around what is actually driving your symptoms rather than a fixed routine. It commonly combines hands-on techniques for the jaw and neck with exercises you can keep up between visits, and practical changes to the habits that keep the muscles overworked.

• Hands-on therapy for the jaw muscles and the upper neck
• Jaw movement, control and relaxation exercises
• Posture and neck work, since the two are connected
• Guidance on clenching, chewing and daytime jaw habits
• A home program so progress continues between appointments

Where a bite splint or dental treatment is part of the picture, physiotherapy works alongside your dentist rather than replacing that care. If your jaw pain is severe, came on suddenly, or follows an injury, it is worth being assessed sooner rather than later.