How can bruxism cause headaches? Bruxism causes morning, tension, and migraine headaches via jaw muscle fatigue and trigeminal sensitization. Learn the types, triggers, and relief options.
Written by Ann C. McCulloch, MBA | Medically Reviewed by Bradley Allen Eli, DMD, MS
Relieving jaw tension works best as a stepwise process: start with simple self-care, add manual therapy or targeted exercises if tension persists, and address the cervical spine alongside the jaw, since the two are more connected than most people realize. A combination approach consistently outperforms any single tactic on its own.
Before anything else, a simple home routine addresses much of what drives everyday jaw tension:
For jaw tension that doesn’t resolve with self-care alone, hands-on therapy has strong research backing. A large systematic review and network meta-analysis of TMD treatments found that cognitive behavioral therapy combined with biofeedback or relaxation, and therapist-assisted jaw mobilization, were among the most effective options for achieving meaningful pain relief, with manual trigger point therapy close behind. Supervised jaw exercises, stretching, and postural exercises also showed solid, real benefit.
Separate clinical research specifically in women with myofascial jaw pain and limited mobility found that combining manual soft tissue therapy with targeted exercises meaningfully reduced pain and improved jaw mobility, outperforming self-directed therapy alone.
One of the more underappreciated pieces of relieving jaw tension is the neck itself. A systematic review and meta-analysis specifically looking at cervical rehabilitation for myogenic TMD found high-certainty evidence that treating the cervical spine — through manual therapy, with or without exercises — produced meaningful reductions in jaw pain intensity and increased pain thresholds in both the masseter and temporalis muscles. This makes sense given how closely connected the jaw and neck are neurologically: forward head posture and cervical dysfunction are common in people with jaw tension, and addressing only the jaw while ignoring the neck can leave part of the problem unaddressed.
“Persistent jaw tension is more than tight muscles. Over time, the nervous system can adapt to this constant muscle activity, making the jaw feel tense even during normal function. Effective treatment focuses on interrupting this cycle while restoring normal muscle function,” explains Bradley Eli, DMD, MS, an orofacial pain specialist.
This is where the Speed2Treat® Home Healing Kit fits in, particularly after you’ve already tried heat, massage, and stretching. Rather than a single tool, the kit pairs the QuickSplint® anterior bite guard — designed to promote jaw muscle relaxation rather than simply protecting the teeth — with a hot/cold therapy wrap, guided jaw exercises, and a 4-week self-care plan, giving the muscles a chance to “rest” during a painful flare-up while the other self-care and therapy approaches address the underlying tension. Jaw rest alongside this can help further reduce strain while things settle. (See also how to relax a tense jaw for additional self-care techniques.)
For jaw tension that doesn’t respond to the steps above, several medication classes have research support — including certain NSAIDs, muscle relaxants, and, for more persistent or chronic cases, medications typically used for nerve-related pain. These are worth discussing with your dentist or doctor, since dosing and appropriateness depend on your individual history. For truly refractory cases, dry needling and botulinum toxin injections are options some specialists use, though the evidence on dry needling in particular is mixed across different studies, and these decisions are best made with a specialist familiar with your case.
Moist heat, a relaxed jaw posture, and gentle self-massage of the masseter and temporalis muscles are the quickest self-care steps, though persistent tension usually benefits from a more complete approach.
Yes. Research specifically on cervical rehabilitation for jaw-muscle-related TMD found meaningful reductions in jaw pain and increased pain thresholds when the neck was treated alongside the jaw.
Cognitive behavioral therapy combined with biofeedback, therapist-assisted jaw mobilization, and manual trigger point therapy have the strongest research support among conservative treatments.
Yes, particularly during painful flare-ups after self-care measures like heat and massage haven’t fully resolved the tension. It’s designed to promote muscle relaxation, which differs from a standard night guard’s primary role of protecting teeth.
If self-care and basic exercises haven’t helped after a few weeks, or if jaw tension is significantly affecting your daily function, it’s worth seeing a dentist or orofacial pain specialist who can evaluate manual therapy, cervical treatment, or other options.
Not necessarily. The neck and jaw are closely connected, and cervical dysfunction or forward head posture can contribute significantly to jaw muscle tension, which is why addressing both together often works better than focusing on the jaw alone.
