About Referred Muscle Pain
Muscle (myofascial) pain involves dull, aching muscles with tender spots that can send pain to other areas.
Imagine pulling one string of a spider’s web. The entire web would bend and stretch to accommodate that one string.
Your muscles are woven together like a spider’s web. When one muscle is contracted, the other muscles work together to help that muscle do its job. If a muscle in your jaw is chronically tight, the muscles in your neck, shoulder, and back will over-compensate and cause you pain.
Types
Masticatory Myofascial Pain is an intense aching pain in the jaw muscles, associated with taut bands, also known as trigger points, which may or may not refer to other regions of the head and neck.
Cervical Myofascial Pain is a pain believed to be caused by overuse or trauma to the muscles supporting the shoulders and neck.
Myalgia of Jaw Muscles is an aching pain that is localized to the jaw region.