When you hurt a chewing muscle, your body might produce more of a protein called NGF, which could make the nerves in that muscle extra sensitive over time and lead to long-lasting pain.

Pro

Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

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Repeated Muscle Injury as a Presumptive Trigger for Chronic Masticatory Muscle Pain

Narrative Review

2011

Contradicting (0)

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No contradicting evidence found

Gold Standard Evidence Needed

According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.

Source Study

Repeated Muscle Injury as a Presumptive Trigger for Chronic Masticatory Muscle Pain

Score: 1

DOI: 10.1155/2011/647967

Similar Assertions

In rats, sore muscles after unusual exercise make a protein called NGF, which seems to cause pain sensitivity—blocking NGF quickly reduces soreness, and stopping another pain-related signal (bradykinin) also stops NGF from being made, suggesting it's part of the soreness chain reaction.

79%

If you keep injuring your jaw muscles, it might make the pain-sensing nerves more sensitive over time, which could lead to long-lasting muscle pain.

75%