Understanding TMJ and Headaches
The temporomandibular joint is small, works constantly, and causes a startling amount of trouble when it stops moving well. Jaw pain, clicking, a bite that suddenly feels off, or the inability to open wide enough to eat comfortably are the obvious signs of a TMJ disorder. The less obvious one is headaches — because the same muscles that close your jaw refer pain straight into the temples and behind the eyes, which is why so much "tension" and so many recurring headaches trace back to the jaw. We treat all of it hands-on, in private one-on-one sessions, at our Wynwood clinic and our North Miami clinic.
Helps with:
Jaw pain Clicking Limited opening Headaches Teeth grinding Neck tensionJaw dysfunction rarely begins at the jaw. Neck posture, breathing pattern, night-time clenching and old fascial restriction through the head and shoulders all feed into it. Someone who spends the day tipped toward a laptop loads the jaw muscles constantly without ever noticing. So we treat the whole pattern rather than the joint alone, which is what makes the relief last.
Assessment covers how far and how evenly you open, where the joint clicks in that range, how the chewing muscles behave under pressure, and how your neck and upper back are positioned. From there, treatment is manual. Gentle work on the masseter, temporalis and pterygoid muscles, mobilization of the joint itself, and release through the neck and upper ribs.
You also get practical, unglamorous changes that make a real difference: resting tongue position, keeping teeth apart at rest, sleep posture, and easing the habits that keep the joint loaded. Small as they look, they are often what holds your progress in place between visits.
Because these muscles connect into a wider fascial network, treatment often runs alongside the John F. Barnes myofascial method. When neck posture is the primary driver we fold in spine and posture work. Your whole plan is mapped out through our session program structure, so you know where it is heading.
Our Approach to a Painful Jaw
Measuring the Joint
We record opening range, tracking, clicking points and muscle tenderness so progress is measured rather than guessed.
Releasing the Muscles
Hands-on work on the chewing muscles and surrounding fascia lowers the resting tension driving pain and headaches.
Freeing Neck and Posture
Upper neck and thoracic mobility are restored, since a forward head position keeps reloading the jaw all day.
Breaking the Habit Loop
Tongue position, jaw rest posture, sleep setup and stress-related clenching strategies stop the pattern rebuilding.
Jaw and Head Symptoms We Commonly Treat
- Clicking, popping or grinding when you open
- Pain while chewing tougher foods
- Limited opening or a jaw that locks
- Headaches concentrated in the temples
- Waking with a sore, tired jaw
- Facial or cheek muscle tenderness
- Ear pain or fullness with clear ear examinations
- A jaw that deviates to one side as it opens
- Neck stiffness that arrives with jaw flare-ups
JAW AND HEADACHE CARE
Where Miami Jaw Pain Usually Comes From
Most jaw referrals reach us through dentists and orthodontists who have fitted a night guard and want the muscular side addressed properly. The pattern we see across Miami-Dade is fairly consistent. Long hours at a screen, a stressful workload, clenching through the night, and a neck that has drifted forward over years. Add a commute across the causeways and the shoulders never really come down. We also treat plenty of divers, swimmers and musicians, all of whom load the jaw in specific and repeated ways. Sessions run a full hour, which is what this work genuinely needs. Clients based downtown often book at our Wynwood location to save the drive north.
Your Specialists
Who You'll Work With
Craig Cohen
PT, MPT, ATC/L, CSCS
Physical Therapist & Myofascial Release Therapist - Owner and Founder
Craig Cohen, PT, MPT, ATC/L, CSCS, is the Owner and Founder of Integrated Physical Therapy & Wellness. With nearly 30 years in clinical practice, he has built the practice around a single conviction: that lasting results come from identifying and treating the root cause of dysfunction, not from managing symptoms indefinitely.
Meet the full physical therapy team
Jenny Gores
PT, DPT
Doctor of Physical Therapy - Chief Operating Officer
Dr. Jenny Gores, PT, DPT, serves as Chief Operating Officer of Integrated Physical Therapy & Wellness, where she oversees clinical operations and standards of care across the practice while continuing to treat patients directly. Her dual role keeps her close to both sides of the work - building the systems that make care consistent, and staying in the room where that care actually happens.
Meet the full physical therapy team
Brittany Inerfeld
PT, DPT
Doctor of Physical Therapy - Clinical Director
Dr. Brittany Inerfeld, PT, DPT, is the Clinical Director at Integrated Physical Therapy & Wellness, where she leads a team dedicated to restoring function, preventing injury, and helping patients return to the activities they love.
Meet the full physical therapy team
Keegan Phillips
PT, DPT
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Dr. Keegan is a dedicated and compassionate physical therapist who works with patients of all ages to help them move better and feel their best. She earned her bachelor's degree in Biological Health Sciences from the University of South Florida and completed her Doctorate in Physical Therapy at the University of Miami. Keegan takes a whole-body approach to care, combining manual therapy and targeted exercise to create personalized treatment plans that support long-term recovery and overall wellness. She believes that truly effective care starts with listening, and she takes the time to understand each patient's unique story in order to build strong, supportive relationships. Outside the clinic, Keegan enjoys reading on the beach, trying new foods around South Florida, and spending time with her mini Australian Shepherd, Kylo.
Meet the full physical therapy team