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Neck workouts may soothe chronic jaw pain, early study suggests

NCT ID NCT03403998

Symptom relief Sponsor: University of Alberta Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

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.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

113 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Jan 2018

Finished

Dec 2024

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 to 60 years

Sex

Female participants only

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: 1. females 18-60 years of age (TMDs are more prevalent in females); 2. diagnosed with muscle pain disorders as classified by the new Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (DC/TMD) or mixed TMD; 3. have had pain in the masticatory muscle for at least 3 months; 4. have chronic masticatory muscle pain not attributable to recent acute trauma, previous infection, or active inflammation; and 5. have a moderate or severe baseline pain score of 30 mm or greater using a 100 mm VAS. Exclusion Criteria: 1. metabolic, rheumatoid, or vascular diseases; 2. commonly comorbid functional chronic pain disorders (e.g., irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia); 3. psychiatric disorders (e.g., depression, schizophrenia); 4. abnormal neurological examination; 5. contraindication for MRI scanning (e.g., metallic surgical implant); 6. self-report of substance abuse; 7. exercise therapy in the 6 months before entry into the study or current treatment for TMD; 8. previous experience with electrotherapy; or 9. pregnant or planning a pregnancy. After confirming eligibility to participate in the study, all participants will be asked to sign an informed consent in accordance with the UofA´s policies on research using human participants.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Chronic Pain musculoskeletal system disorder Pain temporomandibular joint disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Temporomandibular disorders Temporomandibular joint pain

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Corbett Hall-Sports Laboratory

    Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 0V1, Canada

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