The jaw is one of the most used joints in the body. It moves every time you talk, chew, swallow and yawn — thousands of times a day — and it carries the extra load of clenching and grinding that many people do without realising, especially when stressed or asleep.
It is not surprising, then, that jaw pain is common. Many people are surprised to learn that physiotherapists treat it, but the jaw is a joint with muscles and ligaments like any other, and it responds to the same principles of assessment, movement and loading. This article explains what is going on when a jaw clicks, aches or locks, how it is treated, and what you can start doing today.
How the jaw joint works
The temporomandibular joint, or TMJ, sits just in front of each ear, where the lower jaw meets the skull. You can feel it move by placing your fingertips there and opening your mouth. Unusually, it both rotates and slides: the first part of opening is a hinge movement, and wider opening requires the jaw to glide forward.
Between the bones sits a small disc of cartilage that cushions the joint and travels with the jaw as it moves. Powerful muscles control everything, including the masseter at the angle of the jaw and the temporalis over the temple. Because the two joints are linked by one bone, a problem on one side always affects how the other side moves.
What a temporomandibular disorder is
Temporomandibular disorder is an umbrella term rather than a single diagnosis. It covers three broad groups of problems, and many people have more than one at once.
- Muscle pain: aching and tenderness in the chewing muscles, often from clenching, grinding or prolonged chewing. This is the most common type.
- Disc displacement: the disc sits slightly out of place, causing clicking as it pops back during opening, and occasionally catching or locking.
- Joint pain and arthritis: inflammation or degenerative change in the joint itself, causing pain with chewing and sometimes grating sounds.
Common symptoms
TMD symptoms are not always felt in the jaw itself. Pain can spread to the temple, the ear, the cheek and the neck, and many people visit their family doctor or an ear specialist first because the pain feels like an ear problem.
- Aching in front of the ear, in the cheek or at the temple.
- Pain that is worse with chewing, especially tough or chewy foods.
- Clicking, popping or grating sounds when opening or closing.
- Limited opening, or the jaw deviating to one side as it opens.
- A sensation that the jaw catches or briefly locks.
- Headaches, particularly in the temples, and often on waking.
- A feeling of fullness in the ear without an ear infection.
- Tired or tight jaw muscles in the morning.
Why the jaw clicks — and when it matters
Clicking usually means the disc is sitting slightly forward of its ideal position when the mouth is closed, and pops back into place as you open. A large share of the population has a jaw that clicks, and in most it is painless and stable for years. On its own, a painless click is not a reason for treatment and does not mean the joint is wearing out.
Clicking becomes worth attention when it comes with pain, when it is getting more frequent, or when the jaw starts to catch or lock. A jaw that suddenly cannot open fully, with the clicking stopping at the same time, may mean the disc is no longer reducing back into place. That deserves prompt assessment, because early treatment tends to restore opening more easily.
What drives jaw pain
Overloading the jaw muscles is the most common driver. Clenching during the day, often while concentrating, driving or using a phone, and grinding at night (bruxism) both keep the muscles working when they should be resting. The resting position of the jaw should have the lips together, the teeth slightly apart and the tongue resting lightly on the roof of the mouth. Many people with TMD hold their teeth together for much of the day.
Stress, anxiety and poor sleep amplify clenching and lower pain thresholds. Habits such as chewing gum, biting nails or pens, and chewing on one side only add load. Head and neck posture contributes too: a forward head position changes how the jaw rests and how the chewing muscles work, which is one reason jaw and neck pain so often appear together. A blow to the jaw, a long dental procedure or wide yawning can also trigger symptoms.
When to see a dentist or doctor first
Dental problems such as an abscess, a cracked tooth or a wisdom tooth can cause pain that feels like TMD, so a dental check is sensible if you have not had one recently. See a physician promptly for jaw pain that comes on with exertion and eases with rest, as this can occasionally be a sign of heart problems, and for jaw pain on chewing combined with temple tenderness, headache and visual changes in someone over 50.
Swelling, fever, numbness in the face, a jaw that will not close, or a lump in the area should also be checked by a doctor or dentist before physiotherapy begins.
How physiotherapy treats TMD
Assessment looks at how your jaw opens, closes and moves side to side, measures your opening, listens and feels for joint sounds, and checks the chewing muscles for tenderness. Because the neck and jaw are so closely linked, the neck and posture are examined too.
Treatment is conservative and usually combines several elements. Manual therapy to the jaw muscles, including gentle techniques inside the mouth with gloves, eases muscle tension and pain. Joint mobilisation can improve restricted opening. Specific jaw exercises retrain smooth, controlled movement and improve coordination between the two sides. Neck treatment and posture work address the contribution from above. Education about resting jaw position, habits and stress is often as important as anything done on the table.
| Clinician | Typical role |
|---|---|
| Dentist | Rules out dental causes; may provide a night splint for grinding |
| Physiotherapist | Jaw and neck exercise, manual therapy, posture and habit retraining |
| Massage therapist | Soft-tissue work to the jaw, neck and shoulder muscles |
| Family physician | Medication, sleep and stress support, onward referral if needed |
Self-care that helps
Most TMD improves with simple changes, and these are worth starting while you wait for an appointment. Give them two to three weeks of consistent effort before judging.
- Practise the resting position: lips together, teeth apart, tongue lightly on the roof of the mouth.
- Choose softer foods for a couple of weeks and cut food into smaller pieces.
- Stop chewing gum and avoid biting nails, pens or ice.
- Support your jaw with your hand when you yawn.
- Apply warmth to the jaw muscles for 10 to 15 minutes when they feel tight.
- Notice daytime clenching — a sticky note on your screen is a surprisingly effective reminder.
- Avoid resting your chin on your hand or sleeping face down with the jaw pressed into the pillow.
Outlook
The large majority of people with TMD improve with conservative treatment, and many find symptoms settle within weeks to a few months. Some will have occasional flare-ups during stressful periods, and knowing how to manage them reduces their impact. Surgery is reserved for a small number of cases with clear structural problems that have not responded to a thorough conservative programme.
TMJ physiotherapy in Woodbridge
At Med Wellness in Woodbridge, our physiotherapists assess and treat jaw pain, clicking and restricted opening, alongside the neck and posture problems that so often travel with them. We work with your dentist where a splint or dental care is needed, and our registered massage therapists can add soft-tissue treatment to the jaw and neck muscles.
No referral is needed for physiotherapy in Ontario, and most extended health plans cover it. Call +1 (905) 605-8889 or book online to arrange an assessment.
References
Written by Paramjeet Kaur Bassi, Registered Physiotherapist · Last reviewed August 11, 2026
This page is general health information reviewed by a registered clinician. It is not personalised medical advice and does not replace an in-person assessment. If your symptoms are severe, worsening or new, contact a healthcare professional.
