Uncovering Hidden Causes of Neck Pain
Jun 06, 2025
Neck pain can be confusing — sometimes the discomfort you feel isn’t actually coming from your neck. It can stem from tension in your jaw, posture habits, or stress. When scans don’t show an obvious cause and there’s no injury, it’s easy to feel stuck. But understanding these hidden drivers is key to real relief.
At Form Function and Flow Lab, Dr. Kate Eckert takes a whole-body approach to pinpoint the true sources of pain. By combining advanced diagnostics like focused shockwave therapy with insight into how stress, dental appliances, and posture interact, she helps patients get to the root of their pain, often in places they never expected.
Jaw and Neck Connection
One common hidden cause of neck pain is jaw clenching. Wearing Invisalign, braces, or a night guard can sometimes lead to unconscious clenching. This strains muscles like the masseter (jaw) and temporalis (side of the head), creating tension that often travels down into your neck. This can cause stiffness, pain, and even headaches.
Another key player is the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle, which runs from behind your ear down to your collarbone. This muscle tightens when you clench your jaw or hold your head forward, like when working at a computer. This pulls your head out of alignment and adds pressure to the back of your neck, increasing discomfort.
Jaw Clenching and Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
There’s a surprising link between jaw tension and pelvic health. When your jaw clenches, your pelvic floor muscles often react by tightening as well. This neuromuscular connection can contribute to problems like urinary incontinence, hip pain, and lower back discomfort. Stress makes this cycle worse, as both areas respond strongly to emotional and physical tension.
For individuals experiencing both neck and pelvic symptoms, treating one area without addressing the other may only bring partial relief. Resolving the issue effectively means identifying the full scope of tension patterns.
Holistic Treatment Approach
Because neck pain often comes from distant sources, finding relief means looking at the whole body. Targeted therapies like shockwave treatment help identify exactly where the problem lies. By sending sound waves through tissue, healthy areas don’t react — but inflamed or dysfunctional tissue responds with a dull ache. This guides precise treatment, even in places you may not realize are causing pain.
For those with jaw clenching or TMJ issues, laser therapy can reduce inflammation around the temporalis muscle and other nearby areas. Used together, these therapies promote healing and ease muscle tension contributing to neck discomfort.
But physical treatment alone isn’t enough. Many people clench their jaws more at night due to stress carried throughout the day. Simple breathing exercises and nervous system regulation techniques before bed can reduce clenching and muscle tension. When clenching isn’t related to dental appliances but stress-driven, these tools are essential for long-term relief.
Listen to the Full Episode here: Kajabi
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Dr. Kate Eckert is a chiropractor and yoga teacher specializing in biomechanics and rehabilitation, with a strong focus on dynamic neuromuscular stabilization (DNS). Her holistic approach integrates various techniques, including self-myofascial release and neurokinetic therapy, promoting efficient healing and a comprehensive understanding of the body’s connections.
Resources:
Website: https://www.formfunctionandflowlab.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550346148129
