It hurts to chew or talk for long
Tough foods, long calls and late afternoons make it worse, in the cheek, the temple or just in front of the ear.
TMD, short for temporomandibular disorder, can show up as a cheek ache, soreness in front of the ear, or clicking. Your jaw may tire during a long conversation. It often comes with temple headaches, ear fullness, or a tooth that hurts when your dentist finds nothing wrong.
The jaw joint rarely works alone. When the top of the neck is stiff, the jaw muscles often brace to help steady the head. The masseter, temporalis and pterygoids, the chewing muscles deep behind the cheek, then press the joint harder. They can develop trigger points, tight knots that refer pain to the teeth, ear and temple.
With dry needling, a form of acupuncture, I treat the chewing and neck muscles that reproduce your pain. Deep in front of the ear, a tight lateral pterygoid can press on the auriculotemporal nerve. That nerve carries sensation from the joint, ear and temple. Releasing that muscle and the masseter gives the nerve more room. When that nerve stays sensitive on its own, I add electroacupuncture: fine needles beside it with a gentle current, to help change its signaling.
Most people with TMD have had a night guard, pain relievers like ibuprofen, and sometimes an MRI. The MRI may show disc changes that don’t match where or when it hurts. Medication can quiet a flare without changing muscle tone or how the neck and jaw share the work. A guard protects the teeth, but it may not stop clenching that comes from neck strain or bracing. If physical therapy or chiropractic care for your jaw was part of the picture, New York doesn’t permit either to use dry needling.
I ask what sets off the pain: chewing, talking, yawning, sleep position, training or long days at a desk. Then the exam:
I work alongside dentists, orthodontists and oral surgeons. If my findings point toward checking back in with one of them, I’ll say so and share what I found.
Not always. Some people have joint changes on imaging that don’t match their pain, while others hurt a lot with very little structural change. I look at the muscles, the neck and the nerves. Your dentist looks after the joint and bite, and I work with them on it.
Often it can. A guard protects your teeth and can take some pressure off the joint. It doesn’t change the muscle tension that keeps clenching going, which is what I treat.
Usually a combination when both apply. Releasing the pterygoids and masseter takes pressure off the nerve in front of the ear. If that nerve still signals too readily, electroacupuncture is added.
Clicking on its own isn’t always something to treat. If the jaw works well, doesn’t lock and doesn’t hurt, it may be fine as it is. If clicking comes with pain, drifting or catching, I look at the muscles behind it.
Yes, when the headache follows the jaw and neck. I check the temporalis, the suboccipitals and the upper neck. Then I track how your headaches change with chewing, stress and sleep.
See a dentist, oral surgeon or physician promptly for significant jaw or face trauma, a jaw that stays locked, swelling, fever, or unexplained numbness. Get emergency care for a sudden, severe headache, weakness, slurred speech or other new neurologic symptoms. The same applies to fever with a stiff neck, or a headache after a head injury.
Adults with pelvic floor, nerve and orthopedic pain, along with neurological conditions. Most of my patients come to me after other care hasn't fully settled things. If you're looking for general wellness acupuncture, I'm not the right fit.
We review your history and what you've already tried. I assess the muscles and nerves involved, and you're treated the same day.
It depends on the condition. Pelvic and orthopedic plans usually run 4 to 6 weeks. Neurological plans are usually 2 visits a week for 6 weeks or 3 a week for 4. After that, visits space out so the changes hold. These are typical timelines, not promises.
Yes. I work alongside doctors, physical therapists and specialists. If something I find needs a closer look from one of them, I'll tell you.
I'm an out-of-network provider. You pay at the time of your visit, and my office submits the claim so any reimbursement comes to you. Free benefit checks are available before your first visit through the verification form, and HSA and FSA cards work. I don't take Medicare or Medicaid, though some Medicare Advantage plans reimburse out-of-network care. Full insurance details
Yes. I treat adults, teens and children, though I don't specialize in infants or toddlers.
Yes. Book a free discovery call to ask your questions and see whether we're a good fit.
Dry needling is a form of acupuncture. Fine needles go into tight bands of muscle and trigger points to lower muscle tension and change how the area is signaling.
You may feel a brief twitch or a deep ache as the needle reaches tight muscle. It passes quickly, and any soreness afterward usually fades within a day or two.
It's generally safe with a properly trained practitioner. Needles are sterile and single-use, and I check your health history first, including blood thinners. In New York, dry needling can only be performed by licensed acupuncturists, MDs and DOs. Physical therapists and chiropractors aren't permitted to perform it.
Eat something light beforehand and wear loose clothing that lets me reach the area being treated.
Usually not. Ultrasound helps in a few specific cases, but it hasn't been shown to improve results for common trigger points. A careful hands-on exam is what guides the needle. More on ultrasound-guided dry needling
Dry needling aimed at the pelvic floor and the hip and abdominal muscles around it, for pain, tension and urinary symptoms driven by those muscles and their nerves. More on pelvic floor dry needling
Sometimes, depending on the muscles involved, and you'll be draped throughout. Treatment always follows your consent and comfort. I don't do internal exams or internal treatment.
No, though it helps if you've already seen a doctor or pelvic floor physical therapist. Bring any notes or imaging you have.
Completely. I've heard it all, and there's no judgment here, just a straightforward conversation so we can treat what's going on.
Yes, I treat adults of every gender and identity. After gender-affirming surgery involving the pelvis, bring your surgical notes and we'll decide together what fits.
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118 W. 72nd St, Rear Lobby, New York, NY 10023
Evidence-based acupuncture and dry needling on the Upper West Side. From chronic pain and headaches to pelvic floor dysfunction, Dr. Jordan Barber pairs the highest level of training with care that actually listens.
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