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Suffer from TMJ, Neck, and Shoulder Pain? Understanding Just a Little About Your Mind-Body, Your TMJ, Neck, and Pelvic Floor Connection, Postural Awareness, and Breath, Will Guide You Out of Pain

Updated: Jul 28

Your breath integrates healing from one part of the spine to the other.
Your breath integrates healing from one part of the spine to the other.

Like many people, you likely suffer from some amount of TMJ, jaw, neck, and shoulder pain. Whereas there is no “simple” answer, and no blog post or Facebook reel can speak directly to you, there are patterns you can address and changes you can make that will turn your pain signals down. And whereas you can absolutely create a “neuron bridge out of pain,” you must understand that feeling well in your physical body will require ongoing thought and attention. This quick blog post names some of the dysfunction that is involved in neck and TMJ pain, and this post will you instruct you to use a mix of postural awareness, stretching, strengthening, physical medicine, pelvic floor connection, and your breath to build a wellness bridge that you can return to time and time again.


Famously, many of us suffer from “tech neck.” Forward head posture leads to weak and tight upper trapezius muscles, tight and imbalanced sternocleidomastoid muscles, and weak and tight deep neck flexors (the hypertonic (tight) aspect of deep neck flexors is inexplicably ignored!), overworked occipital muscles at the base of the skull (trying to raise your eyes back up), inflamed and tight and “closed off” scalene muscles (causing a variety of serious complaints) and jaw stress (jaw also has its own separate and/or related dysfunction).


A tight chest (emotional and physical) and anterior neck muscles pull the traps forward; the upward squeeze towards the ears also hurts them. Attention needs to be directed to opening the front body and restoring a healthy cervical curve. Strengthening the back body. With ears over shoulders, the shoulder blades glide back and down, a strong latissimus dorsi, strong serratus anterior, strong posterior traps. Fascia surfaces are “lubricated,” not glued together.


Forward head posture causes the ribcage to sink back, shortening the breath. A quick breath, which is influenced by both physical limitations (will mention the pelvic floor below) and emotional or sympathetic nervous system stress, will overwork the muscles of the neck. If you cannot sink your breath into your low body, and the pelvic floor is not moving down, allowing a full expansion of the lungs, the neck muscles will work harder than they should to help elevate the rib cage (minor but powerful motion). Now imagine that those same overworked neck muscles are also being stressed through your daily posture. Overworking throughout the entire day and in multiple ways.


Recently I saw a Facebook reel about neck pain and to paraphrase it said, “It’s not forward head posture that is the problem. Forget about those tight anterior neck muscles and focus on ribcage tension.” Anytime anything promises that “this is THE answer for everyone,” I put it into a click bait category—albeit many reels contain a mix of partially correct information.


And this information in this reel was healing in the sense that anytime we work with any area of the body in a smart and intuitive way, when we carve out time to breathe, we are—in real time—healing. But the purpose of this Facebook reel was to tell everyone that talking about forward neck posture will not solve neck and shoulder pain. The lack of information on identifying, self-treating and professionally treating forward head posture is a significant problem, despite many needing comprehensive care. Sorry Facebook reel, we can not talk about forward head posture enough!


Whereas I agree with the breath being essential in all cases and at all times, the eyes, jaw, and neck are receiving a lot of stimulation—think screens—and they receive that sensory stimulation while being placed in a physical posture that creates and reinforces dysfunction: the neck reaching forward, the chin reaching forward, and/or the neck looking down. This places C-1 and C-2 in a “scrunched” position. C-1 is right up there next to the ganglia of the cranial nerves, the control center of the control centers. Physical tissue affects nervous tissue and vice versa. Studies show that the way the teeth touch will affect everything down to the toes. The mind-body is tracking: the jaw is like this so move the head like that, the shoulder compensates this way, shift the ribs, breathing is shallow so further activate the neck, hanging over the shoulders the jaw continues to tighten, one lateral pterygoid muscle pulls on the jaw joint, the hip flexors tighten and grip, seeming to “curl” with the jaw as one side becomes weak, the knee and ankle compensate to support the changes.


Anything can be a healing piece of your puzzle—and in this culture, barriers make physical medicine hard to find and understand and multiple barriers can prevent a woman from finding the help she needs. Some women heal slowly, but with consistency, they work through inflammation (a process) and other related imbalances. In a society that has not valued healing touch, even just knowing how to interact with alternative forms of care can be a challenge. But know this: you deserve well-rounded, non-invasive support, and multiple people on your team. And yes, you may need to support your foot health. Your foot affects everything on up the chain. Do not listen to reels that simplify something down to “it’s really just this.” It is really whatever your individual nervous system leads you towards.


And we can not dismiss the power of the upper spine. Overtime, even women that come for just TMJ and jaw therapy report wide spread nervous system changes, from the neck to the foot, to emotional relief, and even a heightened feeling of empowerment — working on other health-related issues. Many women need slow, focused physical medicine applied to their neck and jaw. And they mix this with their other healing routines.


That said, by working with the top and bottom of the spine, the jaw joint, the upper cervical spine, and the pelvic floor, we are hitting places that mirror each other in tension. We’re observing which muscles are hypertonic and overworking, and which muscles are under active, even if they’re also tight and sore. Direct physical work/therapy to the top and bottom of the spine is very healing.


Nevertheless, every woman needs to be told that the most powerful tool she has is her own breath. Increasing health in —or even outright healing—begins with intentionally and consistently practicing the flow of your breath from your jaw to your pelvic floor.


Women who report significant pelvic floor pain have had a tremendous shift in pain when just receiving TMJ and neck therapy mixed with their own at home breathing program! I can not stress this enough! In these cases, we aided the physical body at the top, the peak of information flow, and used breath to integrate that work and directly increase blood flow to the pelvic floor, releasing the muscles to some extent (even if more/direct treatment is also needed).


At home, with no additional help, you can also work with your neck, jaw, and pelvic floor to create whole structure change. It takes time—actual time you sit aside — and effort, but luckily not as much time and “effort” as it took to create the initial source(s) of dysfunction and stress.


Over time, I will write about patterns between some individual muscles. Our entire bodies are in a relationship with one another. If you have jaw and TMJ pain and dysfunction, developing a relationship with your hips—through stretching, pilates, barre, yoga—is essential. Use the lessons you learn about your neck and jaw stress to aid you in mindfully noticing other parts of your Oneself mind-body. Self-inquiry and observation, followed by conscious and consistent daily actions, working on how you carry yourself throughout the day, how you shape your physical tissue during fitness, and how you allow your nervous system to come to a place of rest, stimulates deep and real healing.


Your body is smart, and a cascade of change is possible. From the top to the bottom of the spine, use physical medicine to start your healing process, and let your breath carry the changes throughout your entire system.


Peace & love,

Tara



Check out my books on health and wellness!



Want to Know More?


I have more posts coming soon, including detailed posts on stretching the scalene muscles.


Check out my books on health and wellness!



This is the cover to The Elemental Woman book. A book on Ayurveda focused on women's health.

The Elemental Woman

A Conversation for the Modern Western Woman Inspired by the Healing Wisdom of the Ancient Eastern Sage


This shows the cover of Food & Mood Journal. A mindfulness journal for women's health to connect emotions and food.

Food & Mood Journal

 A tracking guide to connect the food you eat, the emotions you feel, and increase the feeling of deep self-love



This imagine show the cover of the Mindful Movement Journal. A mindfulness journal for women's health that connects emotions and movement and fitness.

Mindful Movement Journal

 A tracking guide to connect the motions you make, the emotions you feel, and increase the feeling of deep self-love



This image shows the cover of Basic Ayurveda. This is a hard cover women's health book that is a colorful refine guide to the main The Elemental Woman book. The Elemental Woman is a women's health book.

Basic Ayurveda 

The Elemental Woman Supplement Guide





About the author:

Since 2004, Tara Lee Clasen has been assisting women on their healing adventures. As a woman-focused physical medicine provider, also trained in Eastern medicine, she knows transformation is possible and knows that with reflection and self-love, your future is full of bright possibilities.



 
 
 

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