10/09/2026
Jaw clenching?
This is one of those points where the anatomy makes SO much sense.
ST6 - Jiáchē / 颊车 sits right over the masseter - one of the major muscles you use to bite and clench. 👄
And if you’re someone who catches yourself doing this 😬 all day… this muscle can work overtime.
🌿 In Chinese medicine, ST6 is traditionally used for jaw pain, facial tension, difficulty opening the mouth and other conditions affecting the jaw and face.
It’s one of the points I regularly think about when someone tells me:
✨ “I wake up with a sore jaw”
✨ “I clench when I concentrate”
✨ “My face feels tight by the end of the day”
✨ “I hold all my stress in my jaw”
🧠 Biomedically, persistent clenching can overload the masseter and other chewing muscles.
Massage and pressure over a tense muscle provide sensory input to the nervous system and may help temporarily reduce muscle tension and that protective “holding” pattern.
And I like adding movement.
📍 How to find it:
Clench your teeth and feel for the muscle that bulges at the angle of your jaw.
That’s your masseter.
✨ Press or massage ST6 for 30–60 seconds, then slowly open and close your jaw a few times while keeping the movement comfortable.
Also check what the rest of you is doing.
Drop your shoulders.
Let your tongue relax.
Unclench your teeth.
Take one slower breath.
Because sometimes your jaw is telling you you’ve been bracing for the last six hours without even realising it. 😅
Acupressure is one tool - persistent jaw pain, locking, significant clicking, dental damage or ongoing headaches deserves proper assessment.
Not medical advice 🤗 Dr Taralee Reynolds | TCM + Acupuncture
