The Surprising Link Between Jaw Pain and Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
Samantha Slater, PT, DPT at LHMPTI New Cumberland
When you think about jaw pain and pelvic floor issues, they seem like two completely different problems. One affects your mouth and face, and the other affects your lower body—how could they possibly be connected?
It turns out, your jaw and pelvic floor have more in common than you might think. Posture, muscle tension, and how your body moves and reacts to stress can link these two areas in surprising ways. The good news is that physical therapy can help you feel better by treating both at the same time.
Let’s break it down:
What Is TMD?
TMD stands for temporomandibular disorder. It’s a group of problems related to the temporomandibular joint (TMJ)—the joint that connects your jaw to your skull. If you’ve ever had jaw pain, clicking sounds when you open your mouth, or trouble chewing, you might have experienced TMD.
Common symptoms of TMD include:
- Jaw pain or soreness
- Headaches
- Earaches or a feeling of pressure in the ears
- Popping, clicking, or locking of the jaw
- Difficulty opening your mouth wide
TMD can happen for a lot of reasons. It might be from clenching or grinding your teeth, stress, jaw misalignment, or tight muscles around the face and neck.
What Is Pelvic Floor Dysfunction?
Pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) happens when the muscles that support your bladder, bowel, and reproductive organs don’t work the way they should. These muscles might be too tight, too weak, or just not coordinating properly.
Some common signs of pelvic floor dysfunction include:
- Leaking urine or trouble controlling bowel movements
- Pelvic or lower abdominal pain
- Pain or difficulty during sexual activity
- Constipation or trouble with bowel movements
Pelvic floor problems can happen for many reasons—pregnancy, childbirth, surgery, chronic constipation, or even just everyday things like sitting for long periods or having poor posture.
How Are TMD and Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Connected?
At first, it sounds strange to think that jaw pain and pelvic problems could be linked, but your body is like one big chain. What happens in one area often affects another. Here’s how:
- Posture affects everything. If you have poor posture—like slouching at a desk or standing unevenly—it can throw off the alignment of your entire body, from your jaw all the way down to your pelvis. Over time, this can cause tension and pain in multiple places.
- Muscle tension travels. When one part of your body is tense, it can create tension elsewhere. If you’re clenching your jaw, you might also be tightening your neck, shoulders, core, and even your pelvic muscles without realizing it.
- Stress shows up physically. When we’re stressed, it’s common to hold that tension in our bodies—by clenching teeth, tensing shoulders, or tightening pelvic muscles. Even if you don’t notice it happening, that constant tightness can eventually lead to pain and dysfunction.
How Physical Therapy Can Help
The great news is that physical therapy offers real solutions for both TMD and pelvic floor dysfunction—and often, you can work on both at the same time.
A physical therapist trained in treating these areas can help you by:
- Teaching targeted exercises to stretch and strengthen the right muscles
- Using hands-on techniques to gently release tight muscles and improve movement
- Coaching you on better posture so you can move and sit in ways that reduce strain
- Helping you manage stress with simple techniques that can lower muscle tension and prevent problems from coming back
If you’re struggling with jaw pain, pelvic discomfort, or both, you don’t have to just “live with it.” Physical therapy may improve both areas at the same time— helping you feel more comfortable, move better, and get back to living your life fully.