Is Heat or Ice Better for Jaw Pain? Whether heat or cold will help you more may depend on the source of your jaw pain. TMD symptoms can be challenging to manage. If you struggle with finding jaw pain solutions, you should know the risks if left undiagnosed and treated. Many try to manage pain by using a home remedy. This may be a place to start but when more relief is needed in the long run - be quick to seek professional help. People with a temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMJ for short, are all too familiar with jaw pain. If you don't have a diagnosis yet and you’re at home or at work needing your jaw to stop hurting, you may reduce temporary jaw discomfort with the simple home remedy of applying hot or cold compresses. Let’s answer common question about if and how hot and cold packs work to provide relief from jaw pain.