Neck workouts may soothe chronic jaw pain, early study suggests
NCT ID NCT03403998
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This pilot study tested whether an 8-week program of neck exercises could reduce pain and improve brain function in women with chronic temporomandibular disorders (TMD), a common cause of jaw and face pain. 113 women were randomly assigned to either the exercise program or a placebo treatment. Researchers measured pain levels, jaw function, and brain changes using MRI scans. The goal is to see if targeting the neck muscles can help rewire the brain to better manage pain.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- neck motor control exercises
- What this could lead to
- If effective, this simple exercise program could offer a drug-free way to ease jaw pain and improve daily function for people with TMD.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small pilot study with only 113 women, so results may not apply to everyone. The placebo group also received a mild treatment, which could reduce the apparent benefit of the exercises.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Corbett Hall-Sports Laboratory
Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 0V1, Canada
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