Jaw or TMJ pain is a fairly common problem reported by many people after a car accident, and it can be confusing for some physicians to identify the root of the problem. Complicating the issue, very often you won't develop TMJ symptoms until many weeks or months after the accident.
Dr. Robert Ramsey has treated many people with jaw pain after an injury, and the scientific research explains what causes these types of symptoms. During a collision, the tissues in your neck are commonly 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 issues in other parts of your body.
For instance, with radicular pain, irritation of a nerve can cause tingling 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 a wreck are very common because of neck injury, and the TMJ works the same way. Dr. Robert Ramsey sees this very commonly in our Gresham, OR office.
Research indicates that the source of many jaw or TMJ problems begins in the neck and that treatment of the underlying neck injury can resolve the secondary headaches or jaw symptoms. The secret to dealing with these symptoms is simple: Dr. Robert Ramsey will work to restore your spinal column back to health, decreasing the inflammatory reaction, treating the injured tissues, and removing the irritation to the nerves in your spine.
Dr. Robert Ramsey finds that jaw and headache issues often resolve once we return your spine to its healthy state.
If you reside in Gresham, OR and you've been hurt in a car crash, Dr. Robert Ramsey can help. We've been treating auto injury patients since 1997, and we can probably help you, too. Give our office a call today at (503) 667-6744 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.