Surgeon Sevag Parseghian, a specialist in maxillofacial surgery, stated that chronic neck pain is often not related to spinal diseases, but rather to malocclusion and temporomandibular joint dysfunction.
According to him, overuse of the associated muscles can lead to spasms affecting the entire neck muscle.
The doctor points out that changes in MRI images of the spine do not always explain patients' complaints of headaches, tension at the back of the head, and neck stiffness. Therefore, in such cases, the temporomandibular joint and dental occlusion are examined.
He says: “The jaw and neck are connected by a common muscle chain. The masticatory muscles, the temporomandibular joint muscles, the floor muscles, and the sternocleidomastoid muscles work as a unified system. When one of these muscles is strained due to malocclusion or a temporomandibular joint disorder, the tension is transferred to the muscle chain.”
As a result, the person feels pain not in the jaw, but in the neck or even the shoulder girdle. Teeth grinding may also occur at night due to the jaw contracting too tightly. By morning, these muscles may spasm, affecting the entire neck.
According to him, another mechanism of pain is related to tongue position and breathing. When a person breathes through their mouth due to nasal congestion or habit, the tongue falls to the bottom of the mouth. The lower jaw then moves backward and downward to open the airway.
He explains: “The head is pulled backward along with the jaw because the jaw is connected to the skull. The person is forced to look straight ahead, straining the neck and upper back muscles and pushing their head forward. This classic ‘head forward’ posture guarantees chronic pain in the neck and shoulders, and even numbness in the fingers due to nerve root compression.”
According to him, if neck pain starts in the morning and disappears during the day, it could indicate teeth grinding or a temporomandibular joint disorder. Hearing a clicking sound in the jaw, grinding teeth at night, or experiencing a dry mouth in the morning are also considered warning signs.
