Jaw or TMJ pain is a fairly common condition reported by people after a car accident, and it can be tough for some physicians to diagnose the root of the issue. Complicating the matter, very often you won't experience TMJ pain until many weeks or months after a crash.
Dr. Holland has helped many men and women with jaw pain after an injury, and the scientific research explains what produces these types of problems. During a auto collision, the tissues in your spine are oftentimes 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, irritation 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 and hand. Similarly, it can affect parts of your body above the injured tissues, like your head and jaw. Headaches after car accident are very common because of neck injury, and the jaw works the same way. Dr. Holland sees this very commonly in our Downtown St. Louis, MO office.
Research indicates 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 trick to resolving these symptoms is simple: Dr. Holland will work to return your spinal column back to health, alleviating the inflammatory reaction, treating the injured tissues, and lessening the irritation to the nerves in your spine.
Dr. Holland finds that jaw and headache issues often resolve once we return your spine to its healthy condition.
If you live in Downtown St. Louis, MO and you've been injured in a car crash, Dr. Holland can help. We've been working with auto injury patients for many years and we can probably help you, too. Give our office a call today at (314) 588-9100 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.
We have a long-standing track record or helping people get out of pain with chiropractic care. Whether you were injured last week, or have been suffering from chronic pain for years - It might only take one visit to our office in Downtown Saint Louis, MO to get you back on the path to everyday health.
