Neck Pain Relief That Starts Beyond Your Neck
If you've lived with neck pain for many months, you've most likely tried stretching it, massaging it, and resting it. But here's a fact that you might not expect: some of the most helpful exercises for a achy neck target its surrounding regions instead. Your neck functions as part of a system that includes your jaw above and your upper back below, and two new studies published in 2026 show why that teamwork matters.
YOUR JAW HAS A SAY
Researchers studied 62 adults who had experienced neck pain for more than three months. (1) Every participant did neck stabilization exercises for six weeks, and half also performed Rocabado exercises, a simple series of easy movements for the jaw, tongue, and head posture. Both groups improved. The group that added jaw exercises, though, experienced greater gains in how much pressure their neck could withstand before pain set in, in their sense of where their head was positioned, and in their balance. Because the jaw and neck share muscles and nerve pathways, it is reasonable that helping one can support the other.
YOUR UPPER BACK HELPS OUT
A related trial of 54 adults added thoracic (mid- and upper-back) mobility exercises to regular neck exercises. (2) The extra work didn't relieve pain more than neck exercises alone, but it did lead to better posture, spinal mobility, neck-related function, and use of the arms and shoulders. A stiff upper back may leave your neck carrying an extra load, so mobilizing it might help everything above move more freely.
WHY THIS MATTERS TO YOU
These were small, short-term studies, and in each case, the extra exercises were added to neck exercises rather than replacing them. Nonetheless, they're a helpful reminder that the source of your pain and the road to feeling better aren't always in the same area. Check out this podcast with Dr. Edgardo Vargas on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he shares the treatment plan and the advantage of The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management for relief of chronic neck pain.
LET'S FIND YOUR BEST PLAN - CONTACT Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C.
If neck pain has been hanging around far too long, contact our office in Auburn to schedule a visit. We'll look at how your neck, jaw, and upper back are working together and help you design a home exercise program that suits your body and your lifestyle.
