Neck treatments favored jaw pain relief; mouth-opening results were uncertain
A review found favorable pain results in muscle-related jaw disorders, but the overall mouth-opening result was not statistically significant.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Neck manipulation and therapeutic exercise showed favorable pooled results for jaw-area pain and pressure pain thresholds. The overall mouth-opening result remained uncertain. A subgroup receiving combined manipulation and exercise had a favorable mouth-opening result, but this does not establish that combining treatments is superior to manipulation alone.
This abstract-based explanation lacks comparator details and follow-up timing. Treatments varied, and the authors call for larger, better-designed trials, leaving meaningful and lasting benefits uncertain.
What researchers found
Numerical pain rating
The standardized mean difference (SMD) favored neck treatment. Units are standard deviations, not pain-scale points. Comparator and assessment timeframe are unspecified.
Maximum mouth opening
Units are standard deviations, not physical opening distances. The interval includes no difference and effects in either direction. Comparator and assessment timeframe are unspecified.
Separate outcomes
Pain ratings, pressure pain thresholds and mouth opening measure different aspects of jaw problems. A favorable result for pain therefore does not automatically demonstrate improved jaw movement.
Interpreting the subgroup
A statistically significant subgroup result alongside a nonsignificant overall result does not demonstrate a difference between treatments. The abstract does not report a direct test establishing superiority.
The original publication
Efficacy of manipulation and therapeutic exercise applied to the neck region of patients with temporomandibular disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Qu J, Qian Y, Zhang Y et al.
J Stomatol Oral Maxillofac Surg · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 40825527
- Record checked
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