ThermFace Massage: A Science-Backed Percussion + Heat Massage for Jaw Tension and Facial Pain
Published:
Expert contributor: Dr. Dan Giordano, DPT, Scientific Advisory Board Member
There’s a particular kind of soreness that you feel in your jaw when you wake up. It’s locked from overnight clenching, and by mid-afternoon, it has developed into tension in your temples and neck.
An estimated 11.8 million adults in the United States experience facial pain, with treatment costing upward of $4 billion worldwide. [1, 2]
Most treatment devices that target jaw pain rely on heat or vibration alone. Therabody’s® ThermFace Massage is a heated percussive facial massage with four attachments designed to relieve facial pain, ease jaw tension, and help reduce the frequency of tension headaches. [3, 4]
Here, we’ll dive into the causes and consequences of jaw pain, how the device works, and who it's for.
What is jaw tension and facial pain?
Jaw pain refers to any pain, stiffness, or tension in or near the jaw and chewing muscles. It can feel like a dull ache or sharp pain, making it uncomfortable to chew, talk, or open your mouth fully. [1]
“A lot of jaw pain comes from the muscles we use to chew, particularly the masseter muscles along the sides of the jaw and the temporalis muscles around the temple. They become overworked, irritated, or tense from clenching, grinding, stress, and excessive chewing,” explains Giordano.
About 60–70% of the general population has at least one sign of jaw or facial pain, yet only 25% identify and report these symptoms to a specialist. [5]
“If you squeezed your fist tight for hours every day, eventually the muscles in your forearm would become tired and sore. The same thing can happen with your jaw. The difference is that most people don't realize how much they're clenching their jaw throughout the day,” says Giordano.
What causes jaw and facial pain?
- Teeth clenching or grinding during sleep: Nighttime clenching and grinding keeps the jaw muscles activated, reducing blood flow to the tissue.
- Excessive jaw clenching: Repeated jaw clenching during the day keeps the jaw muscles under constant, low-grade strain, contributing to soreness and tension over time.
- Frequent heavy chewing: Like clenching, prolonged or heavy chewing overworks the jaw muscles, adding to cumulative fatigue and tightness.
- Long-term stress: Chronic stress can trigger jaw muscle fatigue on its own, even without physically clenching or grinding.
- High estrogen levels: Women experience jaw pain at four times the rate of men — likely due to having higher estrogen levels. [5]
How does jaw and facial pain show up?
Over time, jaw muscle pain can lead to inflammation, fatigue, clicking, and reduced jaw range of motion. [6]
The pain may not be localized to your jaw. Trigger points in the masseter can refer pain to the teeth, ears, and temples, making it challenging to pinpoint exactly where the pain is coming from (and thus, how to treat it). [7]
According to Giordano, jaw pain doesn't work in isolation. "The muscles and nerves of the jaw, head, and neck are closely connected, which is why someone experiencing jaw issues may also feel symptoms around the temples, face, neck, or head. Jaw pain can develop into neck pain or tension headaches if left untreated."
How does ThermFace Massage relieve jaw and facial pain?
ThermFace Massage uses percussive and heat therapy to relieve jaw tension and facial pain, and reduce the frequency of tension headaches for targeted, at-home relief. [3, 4]
“Gentle percussive therapy designed specifically for the face can help reduce muscle tension and relax the muscles in the face and jaw,” says Giordano.
Percussive and heat therapy are backed by science to: [8, 9, 10]
- Help relieve tightness and soreness in the jaw, face, and upper neck
- Improve range of motion of the jaw
- Relax face and jaw muscles and ease facial tension and discomfort
- Improve circulation and blood flow in the face
- Help relieve tension and tightness in the neck, which may reduce the frequency of tension headaches
The percussive facial massage has four specialized attachments purpose-built for the jaw, temple, and neck muscles.
Heated percussive massage
The heated percussive attachment promotes myofascial release and reduces stiffness by increasing circulation. This helps relieve pain and relax tight muscles in the face and jaw. [11]
Precision massage
The cone attachment provides targeted relief along trigger points, muscle knots, and areas of tension, like the jaw and nasolabial lines. [12, 13]
Gentle massage
The dampener attachment helps ease tension in sensitive or bony areas of the face, including the temples and around the eyes.
Contour massage
The wedge attachment is designed for larger facial muscle groups like the masseter and for sweeps along the jawline to help ease tension. [14]
Who should use ThermFace Massage?
Those with jaw pain and tension from clenching or grinding
Who it’s for: Those who grind their teeth or clench their jaws, either while asleep, during work, or in stressful moments.
When to use: Use the device as a part of your morning routine to release tension from overnight clenching or after your workday to help relieve built-up stress and tension.
How it works: Percussive therapy provides targeted relief from jaw tension and facial tightness, leaving your facial muscles more relaxed for the day ahead. [8]
Those who get frequent tension headaches
Who it’s for: People who experience frequent tension headaches originating from jaw, temporalis, and neck muscle tightness.
When to use: Use when you feel tightness in the jaw, temples, or neck. Targeting tense muscles early can help prevent tension from building into a headache.
How it works: ThermFace Massage reduces tension headache frequency by treating the muscles in the face, head and neck where they originate, treating the cause, not just the symptoms. [7]
Anyone seeking additional support for jaw and facial pain
Who it’s for: Those who use over-the-counter or prescription pain medication for facial pain management and are looking for complementary, non-pharmacological solutions.
When to use: Use at home between physical therapy sessions. App-guided routines can complement professional care.
How it works: ThermFace Massage offers a non-invasive option to include in your jaw pain management routine.
ThermFace Massage: Questions and answers
Why do I wake up with a sore, tight jaw?
Nighttime teeth clenching and grinding keeps your jaw muscles activated for hours, reducing blood flow to the tissue. This muscular overactivation can lead to soreness, fatigue, and stiffness by morning, even if you weren’t aware you were clenching in your sleep. [3]
Why does jaw tension spread to my temples and neck?
The muscles and nerves of the jaw, head, and neck are closely connected, so tension rarely stays in one place. Trigger points in the masseter muscle can refer pain to the teeth, ears, and temples, which is why jaw tension often shows up as temple or neck discomfort that can develop into tension headaches if left untreated. [7]
Why does combining heat and massage work better than either alone for muscle tension?
Percussive massage and heat therapy target muscle tension differently, and complementarily. Percussive massage helps release myofascial tension and improve blood flow, while heat relaxes muscles and further improves circulation. Combining the two is thought to have an additive effect, which is why physical therapists often use them in tandem. [10]
Can treating jaw tension reduce how often you get tension headaches?
Tension headaches are often linked to tightness in the jaw, temple, and neck muscles — particularly the temporalis and upper trapezius. Relieving tension in these muscles may help reduce how often you get tension headaches by addressing their underlying triggers, rather than just their symptoms. [3]
Are there ways to release jaw tension without a dentist or medication?
Percussive and heat therapy offer a non-invasive, non-pharmacological way to relieve jaw tension at home. ThermFace Massage is designed to treat the jaw, temple, and neck muscles, and can complement medication, injections, or in-office treatments with your provider.
How often can I use ThermFace Massage?
ThermFace Massage is designed for regular use throughout the day. For example, heated percussive massage in the morning can help with jaw tension, while using the dampener attachment on the temples can provide relief in the evening. Therabody’s app-guided routines can help tailor treatment to your specific area of tension.
Key takeaways:
- Jaw tension and facial pain often stem from clenching, grinding, and stress-driven muscle tightness that can lead to pain.
- ThermFace Massage combines percussive massage and heat therapy to help relieve jaw tension and facial pain and reduce the frequency of tension headaches.
- Guided app routines help match the right attachment and therapy to your specific area of tension, whether that's jaw soreness, tension headaches, or at-home routines between professional treatments.
References:
- A Meta-Analysis of the Global Prevalence of Temporomandibular Disorders
- Prevalence, Impact, and Costs of Treatment for Temporomandibular Disorders
- Reported concepts for the treatment modalities and pain management of temporomandibular disorders
- Potential clinical application of masseter and temporal muscle massage treatment using an oral rehabilitation robot in temporomandibular disorder patients with myofascial pain
- Factors involved in the etiology of temporomandibular disorders - a literature review
- TMD (Temporomandibular Disorders)
- Jaw Dysfunction Is Associated with Neck Disability and Muscle Tenderness in Subjects with and without Chronic Temporomandibular Disorders
- The Effect Of Percussive Therapy On Musculoskeletal Performance And Experiences Of Pain: A Systematic Literature Review
- Consensus on the Use of Therapeutic Interventions in Pain Management, Recovery, and Athletic Performance: A Delphi Study
- Physiotherapy Approaches for Temporomandibular Disorders: A Multimodal Conservative Management Strategy
- Reported concepts for the treatment modalities and pain management of temporomandibular disorders
- An Evidence-Based Treatment of Myofascial Pain and Myofascial Trigger Points in the Maxillofacial Area: A Narrative Review
- Myofascial trigger point-focused head and neck massage for recurrent tension-type headache: a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial
- Evaluation of the efficacy of manual soft tissue therapy and therapeutic exercises in patients with pain and limited mobility TMJ: a randomized control trial (RCT)
