Millions of people deal with chronic headaches that do not respond to typical treatments. What many do not realize is that their headaches may not be starting in their head at all. They may be starting in their jaw. The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and the muscles that control it are closely connected to the nerves and muscles that trigger headaches. When something goes wrong with the jaw, the pain often shows up as a headache. Here are seven signs that your headaches may be linked to a TMJ disorder.

The seven signs

1. Your Headaches Are Worse in the Morning

If you wake up with a headache most mornings, teeth grinding during sleep (bruxism) may be the cause. When you grind or clench your teeth at night, the jaw muscles become strained and tense. This tension builds up overnight and results in a headache by morning. Morning headaches that center in the temples are a particularly strong indicator of sleep bruxism.

2. You Also Have Jaw Pain or Stiffness

Headaches that come with jaw symptoms are a strong sign that the two are connected. If you notice jaw soreness, tightness, difficulty opening your mouth wide, or pain when you chew alongside your headaches, your jaw may be the root cause.

3. Your Jaw Clicks, Pops, or Locks

Clicking, popping, or grinding sounds when you open your mouth indicate a problem with the TMJ, such as disc displacement. When the joint is not working properly, the surrounding muscles compensate by working harder, which creates tension that can trigger headaches.

4. The Pain Is in Your Temples or Behind Your Eyes

The temporalis muscle, which sits on the side of your head near your temple, is one of the main muscles that moves your jaw. When this muscle is tight or has trigger points, the pain radiates directly into the temple area. Many people experience this as a tension headache or even a migraine. Trigger points in the jaw muscles can also refer pain behind the eyes.

Pattern To Notice

Track when headaches occur and whether chewing or jaw movement changes them.

5. Chewing Makes Your Headaches Worse

If eating a meal, chewing gum, or even talking for a long time makes your headache worse, the jaw muscles may be involved. Overworked jaw muscles strain the TMJ and the surrounding tissues, which can trigger or intensify headaches.

6. Headache Medications Do Not Work Well

If over-the-counter headache medications like ibuprofen or acetaminophen are not providing lasting relief, the headache may have a structural cause rather than a chemical one. When the source of the headache is a tight muscle or a dysfunctional joint, medication only dulls the symptom without addressing the cause. Treating the jaw problem is what brings lasting relief.

7. You Have Tender Spots in Your Face or Neck

If pressing on certain spots in your jaw, cheeks, temples, or neck reproduces or intensifies your headache, those spots may be myofascial trigger points. Trigger points are tight knots in the muscle that cause referred pain, meaning the pain travels to a different area. A trigger point in your jaw muscle can send pain to your temple, forehead, or behind your eye.

What to Do If You Recognize These Signs

If several of these signs sound familiar, schedule an evaluation with an orofacial pain specialist. A thorough exam of your jaw, muscles, and nerves can determine whether your headaches are connected to your TMJ. Once the connection is established, treating the jaw problem often reduces or eliminates the headaches.

Effective treatments for TMJ-related headaches include custom oral appliances, Botox injections, trigger point injections, and physical therapy. Many patients see significant improvement within the first few weeks of treatment.