Temporalis Muscle: Headaches, Head, Cheek, Teeth, Pain

The temporalis muscle is located on the side of the skull and is the muscle that covers the temple.

Temporalis trigger points cause a wide area of pain in the head and face. They can cause and contribute to headaches on the side of the head and in the front of the head over the eye.

A common symptom of trigger points in the temporalis is sensitivity and pain in the upper teeth. Pain may occur when you bite down, making chewing difficult. Upper teeth may become sensitive to warm and cold foods and drinks. You may feel as if your teeth don’t fit together as they should.

The temporalis muscle is one of the muscles involved in TMJ (Temporomandibular joint dysfunction).

Contents of Article

Where Is The Temporalis Muscle?

Temporalis Muscle Showing Trigger Point Locations

The temporalis muscle covers the temple area of the skull and extends down to attach to the lower jaw (mandible).

What Movements Does It Control?

Closes the jaw
Moves the jaw to the side
Moves the jaw back to neutral position
Holds the bottom of the jaw (mandible bone) in a resting position

For detailed anatomy information: Temporalis Muscle Anatomy Page

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What pain and symptoms are associated with the temporalis muscle?

Headaches

The temporalis is usually the culprit when you experience a headache on the side of the head near the temple. Trigger points can also cause pain in the eyebrow area and over the top and behind the ear.

Jaw and Mouth Pain

Trigger points in the muscle can cause referred pain in the jaw, cheek, and upper teeth. You may experience discomfort when biting down, and your teeth may be sensitive, especially to hot and cold temperatures. Some may experience the sensation of malocclusion, which is a feeling that your teeth do not fit together correctly.

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What Causes Trigger Points In the Temporalis Muscle?

A direct blow to the side of the face or head

Whether it is because of a fall or you have a hard hit to the side of the head, you may develop trigger points in the temporalis and other muscles in the area.

Grinding your teeth and clenching your jaw

Many people grind their teeth and clench their jaw, especially when under stress. If you tend to clench your jaw become conscious of the habit and instead slightly open your mouth to avoid clenching. People who grind their teeth most often do it while sleeping and may not realize they are doing it. If you are experiencing pain in the jaw, side of the face, or head, talk to your dentist. You may need a mouthpiece to stop the damage to your teeth and stop the pain in your head and jaw.

Another thing that falls under this is chewing gum a lot. Gum chewing constantly works the temporalis muscle, which can lead to the development of trigger points.

Smartphones and Text Neck

Constantly bending your head down to read your phone or tablet affects the muscle and can lead to soreness in the jaw and the development of trigger points. This also applies to holding a book in your lap and bending the neck to look down.

Forward Head Posture

If you have a forward head posture where the head extends out in front of the body, the temporalis stays in a stretched position and will likely cause trigger points in the muscle. Talk to a personal trainer or physical therapist about exercises that can help improve your posture.

Whiplash

Whiplash affects many muscles in the upper body and sometimes involves the temporalis. If you have headaches in the temple area or experiencing teeth pain or sensitivity, you should check the muscle for trigger points.

Temporalis Muscle Trigger Point Treatment

Self-treating the temporalis is easy. Place your fingertips in front of your ear at the jaw joint and massage up and diagonally using gentle pressure. Use the muscle diagram further up on the page as a guide. You should massage in the direction of the muscle fibers, not against, do not use a straight up and down motion. Massage the entire muscle feeling for small knots, tight bands of tissue, or areas that cause pain to increase. If you find one of these, stop and apply gentle to medium pressure for 10 seconds and then continue the massage looking for other tender areas. Do not hold pressure longer than 10 seconds as this will irritate the spot. Trigger points respond best to several short treatments spread throughout the day.

The best resource to learn how to treat small painful knots is The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook. The authors explain trigger points and their effects in everyday language, not medical speak. I recommend this book to anyone interested in learning to treat their own muscle pain.

Interesting facts about the temporalis muscle

The temporalis muscle is heavily involved in temporal mandibular joint dysfunction.
The temporalis muscle can cause discomfort in the upper teeth. The teeth may be more sensitive to hot and cold than bothered by pain.

The LotFancy Gel Pack for Jaw Pain can be used for hot or cold treatments and is recommended to those who deal with the pain and symptoms of TMJ.