Have you ever noticed that your bite suddenly feels uneven — like one side touches first, or your jaw has shifted — even though nothing changed with your teeth?You’re not imagining it.And it’s not always a dental issue.

Have you ever noticed that your bite suddenly feels uneven — like one side touches first, or your jaw has shifted — even though nothing changed with your teeth?You’re not imagining it.And it’s not always a dental issue.

The Sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle Most of us don't think about the sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM). It's small, it runs along the front and side of your neck, and yet it can be responsible for a surprisingly long list of symptoms - including some that patients never expect. Today, we’re highlighting the SCM because we see it every week in the clinic: tight, irritated, overworked, and silently creating problems from the jaw to the head and ears. This month: what the SCM do

At From the Neck Up , we know that living with jaw pain, stiffness, or dysfunction can affect more than just chewing or talking — it can quietly impact areas of life we rarely discuss, like intimacy . For many people with TMJ-related issues, activities that require prolonged mouth opening or tension in the jaw, tongue and neck can become uncomfortable or even painful. This can lead to frustration, avoidance, or feelings of shame that may ripple into emotional closeness and co