Chiropractic Effective for TMJ Pain After Car Crash

Jaw pain is a fairly typical condition experienced by people after a car crash, and it can be difficult for some doctors to identify the root of the problem. Complicating the matter, very often you won't experience TMJ pain until many weeks or months after the incident.

Dr. Berklich has helped many people with jaw pain after an injury, and the scientific literature explains what triggers these types of problems. During a car accident, the tissues in your neck are commonly stretched or torn, causing ligament, muscle, or nerve damage. This can obviously cause pain in the neck and back, but since your 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 prickling 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 auto accident are very common because of neck injury, and the TMJ works the same way. Dr. Berklich sees this very frequently in our Alpharetta office.

Research Shows Chiropractic Adjustments Lessens TMJ Pain After Auto Injury

Research indicates that the root of many jaw or TMJ problems begins in the cervical spine 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. Berklich will work to restore your spinal column back to health, reducing the inflammatory reaction, treating the injured tissues, and eliminating the irritation to the nerves in your spine.

Dr. Berklich finds that jaw and headache issues often resolve once we restore your spine to its healthy condition.

If you reside in Alpharetta and you've been hurt in a crash, Dr. Berklich 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 (770) 475-2225 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.