TMJ Pain Eased by Chiropractic After Auto Collision

Jaw or TMJ pain is a fairly typical condition experienced by many people after a car accident, and it can be challenging for some physicians to find the cause of the problem. Complicating the issue, oftentimes you won't develop TMJ symptoms until many weeks or months after the incident.

Jefferson Spine & Injury Center has treated many individuals with jaw pain after an injury, and the medical research explains what triggers these types of symptoms. During a auto accident, the tissues in your spine are frequently stretched or torn, causing ligament, muscle, or nerve damage. This can clearly cause pain in the neck and back, but since your nervous system is one functioning unit, inflammation of the nerves can cause problems in other parts of your body.

For instance, with radicular pain, irritation of a nerve can cause prickling or numbness in the arm or hand. Similarly, it can affect parts of your body above the injured area, like your head and jaw. Headaches after auto accident are very common because of neck injury, and the jaw works the same way. Jefferson Spine & Injury Center sees this very often in our Arlington office.

Research Supports Chiropractic Therapy Helps TMJ Pain After Auto Injury

Studies have shown that the root of many jaw or TMJ symptoms originates in the cervical spine and that treatment of the underlying neck injury can resolve the secondary headaches or jaw symptoms. The key to dealing with these symptoms is simple: Jefferson Spine & Injury Center will work to restore your spinal column back to health, decreasing the inflammatory reaction, treating the injured areas, and eliminating the irritation to the nerves in your spine.

Jefferson Spine & Injury Center finds that jaw and headache symptoms often resolve once we restore your spine to its healthy state.

If you reside in Arlington and you've been hurt in a car crash, Jefferson Spine & Injury Center can help. We've been treating auto injury patients for many years and we can probably help you, too. Give our office a call today at (703) 933-9000 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.