Introduction
Do you often experience jaw pain while chewing, hear clicking sounds when opening your mouth, or feel soreness around your jaw? More and more people are suffering from jaw pain due to modern stress, poor posture, and incorrect eating habits. Did you know that before relying solely on medication, you can naturally relieve pain through acupressure on meridian points based on traditional medicine? By learning 5 effective acupoints for jaw pain and the correct acupressure techniques, you can improve your symptoms in less than 5 minutes, anytime and anywhere.
5 Effective Acupoints for Jaw Pain
1. Yifeng (TE17) — Triple Energizer Meridian
Location: Located behind the ear, in the depression between the mastoid process (the bone protruding behind the ear) and the angle of the mandible (the edge of the lower jawbone). It becomes more pronounced when you protrude your jaw forward.
Effects: It smooths the movement of the temporomandibular joint and promotes circulation around the face, relieving the stiffness of jaw muscles. It is particularly effective for pain when opening the mouth and swelling around the jaw.
Acupressure Technique: Overlap your index and middle fingers and press vertically on the Yifeng point while slowly massaging in circular motions for 1 minute. Stimulate the painful side first, but it is important to maintain consistent pressure rather than applying strong force.
2. Jiache (ST6) — Stomach Meridian
Location: Located on the front part of the lower jaw edge (the angle area). When you press this point, you can feel the masseter muscle (a clenched muscle) that moves during chewing.
Effects: It directly relieves tension in the masseter muscle, rapidly reducing chewing pain. It also helps improve headaches and neck muscle stiffness caused by temporomandibular joint disorders.
Acupressure Technique: Press both Jiache points simultaneously with the thumbs of both hands. While repeatedly slightly opening and closing your jaw, massage in circular motions for 1-2 minutes, and you will feel the tension in the masseter muscle release.
3. Xiaguan (ST7) — Stomach Meridian
Location: Located in front of the ear, in the depression below the cheekbone. When you protrude your jaw forward, the depression becomes more clearly palpable.
Effects: It corrects the alignment of the jaw and relieves muscle tension throughout the face. In addition to jaw pain, it also helps with trigeminal neuralgia and tinnitus relief.
Acupressure Technique: Press both Xiaguan points deeply with your index and middle fingers for about 30 seconds, then slowly massage in circular motions for 1 minute. Avoid too strong stimulation and adjust the pressure based on the feeling of muscle release.
4. Ermen (TE21) — Triple Energizer Meridian
Location: Located in front of the ear, in the depression at the front upper part of the ear cartilage. It has the characteristic that the depression changes position when opening and closing the mouth.
Effects: It normalizes nerve signals in the temporomandibular joint and suppresses excessive muscle contraction. It reduces jaw clicking sounds and smooths the opening motion of the jaw.
Acupressure Technique: Press both Ermen points simultaneously with your index fingers, hold for 5 seconds, and repeat about 30 times. It is more effective when performed both with the mouth open and closed.
5. Qingming (GB2) — Gallbladder Meridian
Location: Located in front of the ear, in the depression below the ear cartilage. When opening the mouth, the depression becomes deeper, so it is accurate to apply acupressure with the mouth open.
Effects: As a key acupoint for temporomandibular joint disorders, it simultaneously addresses jaw pain and stiffness. It also helps improve teeth grinding habits caused by stress and enhance sleep quality.
Acupressure Technique: With your mouth slightly open, locate Qingming precisely with your middle fingers of both hands, then slowly massage in circular motions for 1-2 minutes. This acupoint is sensitive, so maintain moderate pressure that is not too strong.
5-Minute Self-Care Routine
Invest just 5 minutes in managing jaw pain in the busy morning, during lunch, or before bedtime. It is important to follow the steps in order.
Step 1 (1 minute): Massage Yifeng and Qingming simultaneously in circular motions. This step first relieves tension in the neck and shoulders.
Step 2 (2 minutes): Press Jiache and Xiaguan alternately, applying deep pressure for 1 minute each. This step intensively relieves tension in the chewing muscles.
Step 3 (1 minute): Press Ermen 30 times on both sides simultaneously. This is the final step that enhances temporomandibular joint stability.
Step 4 (1 minute): Slowly repeat opening your mouth wide and closing it 10 times. This is a final exercise that helps the acupoints you’ve stimulated to promote blood circulation.
💡 Tip: If you perform acupressure once in the morning and once in the evening for a total of 2 times daily, you can experience noticeable improvement within a week. It is also good to apply acupressure immediately when you are under stress.
Leave a Reply