Tension headaches and the jaw you clench at your desk
Headaches
5 min read
Tobias Wendt, LAc
Why your jaw and neck feed your headaches, and a two-minute routine to try between meetings.
Many tension headaches start below the head: in the jaw, the base of the skull and the top of the shoulders. Clenching your teeth while you concentrate keeps those muscles switched on all day.
Try this twice a day. Let your tongue rest on the roof of your mouth with your teeth apart. Drop your shoulders. Press gently at the base of your skull for thirty seconds on each side. Then take five slow breaths.
If headaches come more than a few times a week, wake you at night or feel different from usual, see your doctor first.
This article is general information, not medical advice or a diagnosis. Results vary from person to person. If you have chest pain, sudden weakness or trouble breathing, call 911.
Written by
Tobias Wendt, LAc
Reviewed by the Willow Street clinical team.
