Jaw pain is a fairly typical problem experienced by many people after a car crash, and it can be tough for some physicians to diagnose the source of the problem. Complicating the matter, many times you won't experience TMJ pain until many weeks or months after a crash.
Gadsden Family Chiropractic has treated many individuals with jaw pain after an injury, and the scientific research explains what causes these types of symptoms. During a crash, the tissues in your neck 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, inflammation of the nerves can cause problems in other parts of your body.
For example, with radicular pain, irritation of a nerve can cause prickling or pins and needles in the arm and hand. Similarly, it can affect parts of your body above the injury, like your head and jaw. Headaches after a wreck are very common because of neck injury, and the TMJ works the same way. Gadsden Family Chiropractic sees this very frequently in our Gadsden, AL office.
Research indicates that the source of many jaw or TMJ symptoms originates in the neck and that treatment of the underlying neck problem can resolve the secondary headaches or jaw symptoms. The key to dealing with these symptoms is simple: Gadsden Family Chiropractic will work to return your spinal column back to health, decreasing the inflammation, treating the injured tissues, and eliminating the irritation to the nerves in your spine.
Gadsden Family Chiropractic has found that jaw and headache issues often resolve once we return your spine to its healthy condition.
If you live in Gadsden, AL and you've been injured in a crash, Gadsden Family Chiropractic can help. We've been treating auto injury patients since 2003, and we can most likely help you, too. Give our office a call today at (256) 543-3033 for an appointment or consultation.
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.