Jaw pain is a fairly typical problem experienced by many people after a car accident, and it can be hard for some physicians to diagnose the cause of the problem. Complicating the issue, many times you won't experience TMJ symptoms until many weeks or months after the incident.
Dr. Jane Steffen Bye has treated 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 neck are commonly stretched or torn, causing ligament, muscle, or nerve injury. This can obviously cause pain in the neck and back, but since your central nervous system is one functioning unit, irritation of the nerves can cause pain in other parts of your body.
For instance, with radicular pain, irritation of a nerve can cause tingling or numbness 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 crash are very common because of neck injury, and the TMJ works the same way. Dr. Jane Steffen Bye sees this very commonly in our Shoreview, MN office.
Research indicates that the root of many jaw or TMJ symptoms originates in the neck and that treatment of the underlying neck injury can fix the secondary headaches or jaw symptoms. The trick to resolving these symptoms is simple: Dr. Jane Steffen Bye will work to return your spinal column back to health, relieving the inflammation, treating the injured tissues, and eliminating the irritation to the nerves in your spine.
Dr. Jane Steffen Bye finds that jaw and headache symptoms often resolve once we return your spine to its healthy state.
If you reside in Shoreview, MN and you've been hurt in a car crash, Dr. Jane Steffen Bye can help. We've been treating auto injury patients since 2000, and we can most likely help you, too. Give our office a call today at (651) 483-4040 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.
Dr. Jane Steffen Bye, DC, FICPA treats a variety of conditions due to automobile accidents, work related incidents, and sports injuries. She also has a special interest in infants, children, and the care of pregnant women with prenatal chiropractic. Dr. Jane Steffen Bye, DC, FICPA has continued postgraduate studies in these areas.
