Jaw or TMJ pain is a fairly typical condition reported by people after a car crash, and it can be confusing for some doctors to diagnose the root of the problem. Complicating the issue, many times you won't experience TMJ symptoms until many weeks or months after a crash.
Alliance Chiropractic has helped many people with jaw pain after an injury, and the medical literature explains what produces these types of symptoms. During a collision, the tissues in your spine are oftentimes stretched or torn, causing ligament, muscle, or nerve injury. This can clearly cause pain in the neck and back, but since your central nervous system is one functioning unit, irritation of the nerves can cause problems in other parts of your body.
For example, with radicular pain, irritation of a nerve can cause tingling or pins and needles in the arm and hand. Similarly, it can affect parts of your body above the injured area, like your head and jaw. Headaches after a wreck are very common because of neck injury, and the TMJ works the same way. Alliance Chiropractic sees this very commonly in our Tulsa office.
Studies have shown that the root of many jaw or TMJ problems begins in the neck and that treatment of the underlying neck problem can fix the secondary headaches or jaw symptoms. The secret to resolving these symptoms is simple: Alliance Chiropractic will work to restore your spinal column back to health, alleviating the inflammatory reaction, treating the injured tissues, and removing the irritation to the nerves in your spine.
Alliance Chiropractic has found that jaw and headache symptoms often resolve once we return your spine to its healthy condition.
If you live in Tulsa and you've been injured in a crash, Alliance Chiropractic can help. We've been treating auto injury patients since 1978, and we can most likely help you, too. Give our office a call today at (918) 832-7880 for an appointment.
Ciancaglini R, Testa M, Radaelli G. Association of neck pain with symptoms of temporomandibular dysfunction in the general adult population. Scandinavian Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine 1999;31:17-22.
Brantingham JW, Cassa TK, Bonnefin D, Pribicevic M, Robb A, et al. Manipulative and multimodal therapy for upper extremity and temporomandibular disorders: a system review. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2013;36(3):143-201.
Dr. Fred Bogan provides quality chiropractic care to patients in Jenks, OK. Whether you're searching for effective pain relief or a way to boost whole body wellness, Alliance Chiropractic can help.
