If you've been waking up with a sore jaw, struggling through meals because chewing feels like a chore, or dealing with headaches that just won't quit - you're not imagining things. And you're certainly not alone. Millions of Americans live with TMJ disorders, and for too many of them, the answer they keep getting is "take some ibuprofen and try to relax." That's not a solution. That's a band-aid.
At Texas Nerve and Spine, we take a different approach. As a TMJ specialist practice with decades of clinical experience, our team doesn't just mask the pain - we go after the underlying cause. No surgery. No pharmaceuticals. Just advanced, proven therapies designed to help your body heal the way it was meant to.
Your temporomandibular joints - the two small, complex hinges on either side of your head, just in front of your ears - are responsible for every bite, every word, every yawn. They're among the most frequently used joints in your entire body. When something goes wrong with these joints or the muscles that control them, the result is a condition broadly referred to as TMJ disorder (also called TMD).
The tricky part? TMJ dysfunction doesn't always announce itself with jaw pain alone. Some people notice a persistent clicking or popping when they open their mouth. Others develop tension headaches that creep across the temples and settle behind the eyes. Some experience earaches, neck stiffness, or even shoulder pain - symptoms that often get blamed on something else entirely.
That's why so many people spend months, sometimes years, bouncing between doctors without getting real answers. If that sounds familiar, a dedicated TMJ doctor in Missouri City, TX can make all the difference.
TMJ disorders can look and feel different from one person to the next. But there are some hallmark signs that typically point toward a jaw-related issue rather than something else. You may want to see a jaw pain doctor in Missouri City, TX if you're experiencing any combination of the following:
If even a few of these ring true for you, it's worth having a conversation with a TMJ specialist who understands how the jaw, the nervous system, and the spine all work together. Because that connection matters more than most people realize.
There's rarely a single smoking gun behind TMJ dysfunction. For most people, it's a combination of factors that have built up over time. Stress is one of the biggest culprits - when we're anxious or overwhelmed, we tend to clench our jaw without even realizing it. Do that night after night, and the muscles surrounding the joint become inflamed and overworked.
Teeth grinding (what your dentist might call bruxism) is another common driver. It puts enormous pressure on the joint and can gradually wear down the cartilage disc that cushions the connection between your jawbone and skull. Physical trauma - an old sports injury, a car accident, even a hard fall - can shift the alignment of the jaw and set the stage for chronic dysfunction years down the road.
Then there's the factor most conventional approaches overlook: the nervous system. Your TMJ doesn't operate in isolation. It's connected to a complex web of nerves that run through the neck, the upper spine, and the base of the skull. When there's interference in that communication pathway - what we call a disruption in the brain-to-body connection - the muscles around the jaw can misfire, tighten, and spasm. This is exactly where a TMJ treatment plan built around the nervous system starts to shine.
At Texas Nerve and Spine, we believe you shouldn't have to choose between living with jaw pain and submitting to invasive procedures or a daily regimen of muscle relaxants. Our TMJ treatment protocol is built around a simple but powerful idea: when you restore proper communication between the brain and the body, the body can heal itself.
Here's what that looks like in practice. When you come to our Missouri City, TX clinic, we start with a thorough evaluation - not just of your jaw, but of your spine, your posture, your nerve function, and your overall health history. We're looking at the full picture, not just the symptom that brought you through the door.
From there, our expert panel of doctors - affectionately called "The Dream Team" by our patients - develops a personalized care plan using advanced, clinically proven therapies. These therapies are designed to reduce inflammation, release tension in the muscles surrounding the TMJ, restore proper nerve signaling, and ultimately help the joint function the way it should. No medications. No surgery. Just your body doing what it does best when the interference is removed.
For many of our patients, this approach delivers jaw pain relief they haven't experienced in years - and it lasts because we've addressed the root cause rather than just numbing the symptom.
There's no shortage of clinics that mention TMJ somewhere on their website. But there's a significant difference between a general practice that occasionally sees a jaw pain patient and a team that has spent decades specializing in nerve-based, non-surgical pain solutions.
Here's what sets us apart as the TMJ specialist Missouri City, TX residents trust:
Our doctors bring over 25 years of hands-on expertise treating chronic pain and nerve-related conditions, including TMJ disorders.
We don't isolate the jaw. We evaluate how your spine, your nerves, and your muscles are all contributing to the dysfunction and treat accordingly.
Our advanced therapy systems work with your body's own healing capacity. No prescriptions. No operating rooms.
When you're in pain, you shouldn't have to wait weeks to be seen. We get you in fast.
Established in 2008, our leadership team runs this practice the way they'd want their own family members treated. That's not a slogan - it's the culture patients feel the moment they walk through the door.
We've helped thousands of patients from across Missouri City, TX and the surrounding communities reclaim their health and get back to the activities they love - free from pain. TMJ disorders are among the conditions that respond exceptionally well to our approach, because the jaw-nerve-spine connection is exactly what our system was designed to address.
We understand that by the time most people reach out to a TMJ specialist, they've already tried a handful of things that didn't work. Maybe you've worn a night guard that helped a little. Maybe you've gone through rounds of anti-inflammatories that took the edge off but never truly resolved the problem. We get it, and we want you to know - your experience here will be different.
Your first appointment starts with a comprehensive evaluation. We'll spend time listening to your history - when the jaw pain started, what makes it better or worse, what treatments you've already tried, and how the pain is affecting your daily life. Then we'll conduct a detailed physical and neurological examination to identify the specific areas of dysfunction.
Based on those findings, we'll walk you through a personalized treatment recommendation. No pressure, no scare tactics, no upselling. Just an honest conversation about what we've found, what's possible, and what the path forward looks like. Our patients consistently tell us that the clarity they get from this first visit alone is worth the trip.
One of the most frustrating things about TMJ dysfunction is how far-reaching its effects can be. A problem that starts in your jaw can trigger a cascade of symptoms throughout your head, neck, and upper body. Chronic tension headaches, migraines, earaches, dizziness, ringing in the ears (tinnitus), and even difficulty swallowing - all of these can trace back to a malfunctioning temporomandibular joint.
This is also why many people who see a doctor for back pain, a neurologist for headaches, or an ENT for ear trouble end up going around in circles. When the TMJ is the hidden driver, treating the secondary symptoms one by one will never get you lasting relief. You have to go upstream and address the source.
That's the advantage of working with a jaw pain treatment team that evaluates the entire neuromusculoskeletal system, not just the joint that's clicking. At Texas Nerve and Spine, we routinely see patients who have been told their headaches are "just stress" or their neck pain is "just posture" - only to discover that a TMJ disorder was fueling the entire chain of symptoms. Once we correct the underlying dysfunction, patients are often amazed at how many seemingly unrelated problems begin to resolve.
Living with TMJ pain doesn't have to be your normal. Whether you've been dealing with a clicking jaw for a few months or chronic facial pain for years, the team at Texas Nerve and Spine is here to help you take the next step toward real, lasting relief - without drugs and without surgery.
Call our Missouri City, TX office today or fill out the form on this page to request your consultation. Same-day appointments are available, and our team responds quickly - because when you're in pain, waiting shouldn't be part of the process.
Texas Nerve and Spine - Missouri City, TX's trusted TMJ specialist and jaw pain doctor since 2008.
An Amtrak train carrying more than 100 people collided with an 18-wheeler in Texas on Tuesday morning, officials confirmed.Subscribe to read this story ad-freeGet unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.In a statement, Amtrak said “a vehicle came into contact with the train on Union Pacific Railroad tracks near Houston.”The train was traveling from Los Angeles to New Orleans with 93 passengers and 11 crew members onboard, it said.Officials in Missouri City, about 20 miles sout...
An Amtrak train carrying more than 100 people collided with an 18-wheeler in Texas on Tuesday morning, officials confirmed.
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In a statement, Amtrak said “a vehicle came into contact with the train on Union Pacific Railroad tracks near Houston.”
The train was traveling from Los Angeles to New Orleans with 93 passengers and 11 crew members onboard, it said.
Officials in Missouri City, about 20 miles southwest of Houston, confirmed that fire personnel were responding to an accident involving the Amtrak train and an 18-wheeler and had extinguished a fire.
Missouri City Fire Chief Mario Partida said fire crews responded to reports of the accident on the southwest side of Houston around 11 a.m. local time.
Amtrak said there were no reports of serious injuries.
Partida told NBC News that two minor injuries were reported and treated at the scene. He added that no crew members, including the conductor and the 18-wheeler driver, were injured.
The train did not derail as a result of the incident, Partida confirmed, but a fuel spill occurred. A hazardous materials team contained it, and there is no risk to the public.
Passengers were evacuated and taken to the next train station on buses, officials said.
“As a precaution, customers were moved off of the train. They will continue east aboard chartered buses,” Amtrak said in a statement.
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Joe Kottke
Joe Kottke is an assignment editor at NBC News covering domestic news, including politics, immigration, crime and severe weather.
Edward Bennetts, born in March 1960 in Marquette, Michigan, passed away leaving behind a legacy of devotion to God, family, meaningful friendships, and quiet strength. A devoted Catholic, Edward placed God at the center of his life. He attended Mass every Sunday — even on days when he was not feeling well — guided by faith, gratitude, and a deep personal relationship with God.The youngest of three children, he was raised by his mother, Louise, a homemaker, and his father, Roger, an engineer who inspired his path into the s...
Edward Bennetts, born in March 1960 in Marquette, Michigan, passed away leaving behind a legacy of devotion to God, family, meaningful friendships, and quiet strength. A devoted Catholic, Edward placed God at the center of his life. He attended Mass every Sunday — even on days when he was not feeling well — guided by faith, gratitude, and a deep personal relationship with God.
The youngest of three children, he was raised by his mother, Louise, a homemaker, and his father, Roger, an engineer who inspired his path into the same field.
A proud “Yooper,” raised in the wilderness of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Ed carried the spirit of the north woods with him wherever he went. Growing up in Marquette County along the shores of Lake Superior, he embraced the rhythm of all four seasons. He hunted and fished, played ice hockey, skied downhill, and became an accomplished cross-country skier during the long northern winters. The land “up north,” tucked between the Great Lakes, never left his heart.
Ed earned his degree in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan Technological University and later completed his MBA at Lewis University. His career led him through roles in engineering and sales across several states, including Michigan, Illinois, Oklahoma, and Texas.
In the Chicago suburbs, Ed raised his daughter, Elizabeth, who was the pride and joy of his life. He was a devoted dad and a wonderful caregiver — steady, present, and deeply loving.
Later, he met Joumana, the love of his life. They married in 2014, and for 11 beautiful years he cherished her deeply. Together they shared many adventures, countless joys, and a partnership grounded in love, gratitude, and companionship.
Though his career and travels took him far from his birthplace, Ed never truly left the Upper Peninsula. He carried its resilience, independence, and love of the outdoors with him always. He will be remembered for his adventurous spirit, steady determination, unwavering faith, and the deep love he had for his family and the places that shaped him.
MISSOURI CITY, Texas (KTRK) -- A Missouri City woman reached out to ABC13, upset by what she calls bullying from the master planned community where she lives and owns a business.Tyla Simone Crayton is 22 now, but founded Sienna Wings when she was just 14, cooking and selling food out of her home.She was featured on Shark Tank at just 16, expanded her wings business into a local market, and started selling her sauce at large grocery stores.Now, her first restaurant is finally open."I'm the social media directo...
MISSOURI CITY, Texas (KTRK) -- A Missouri City woman reached out to ABC13, upset by what she calls bullying from the master planned community where she lives and owns a business.
Tyla Simone Crayton is 22 now, but founded Sienna Wings when she was just 14, cooking and selling food out of her home.
She was featured on Shark Tank at just 16, expanded her wings business into a local market, and started selling her sauce at large grocery stores.
Now, her first restaurant is finally open.
"I'm the social media director, PR," Crayton said. "I'm also the cook, I'm the CEO, I'm the dishwasher."
But patrons might have trouble finding her new restaurant, as there is no sign on the building.
"We have thousands of customers that drive by Sienna Parkway every day, and they don't know we're here," she said.
Sienna Wings is located in the master-planned community, Sienna, owned by Johnson Development.
Crayton said the Sienna Property Owners Association is blocking her business from getting a sign out front until she signs what's called a coexistence agreement.
The unsigned contract ABC13 looked over specifies that Johnson Development would have approval rights over any business changes or expansions, including to other cities, states, or countries.
A spokesperson for Johnson Development said the requirements aren't about punishing, but about protecting Sienna's registered trademark.
Crayton said she knows other nearby companies have signed similar agreements to use the word "Sienna," but she's worried about her own trademarked company, which she said she wants to keep expanding.
"It's an overbearing amount of control that we're just not comfortable with because we've already been operating for so long," Crayton said.
"We do see a trend in which trademarks are expanding," University of Houston law professor Aman Gebru said.
Gebru is not involved in this case, but he teaches contracts and intellectual property law and has also reviewed the contract.
"Trademark law is really at its core concerned about consumers. Locations tend to be relevant," he explained. "The provision that attempts to regulate what happens beyond that location and potentially includes any location in the world seems expansive in my mind."
"There are a lot of things I'd do differently because this situation has soured what was such a beautiful thing for me," Crayton said.
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