Chiropractic Effective for TMJ Pain After Car Crash

Jaw or TMJ pain is a fairly common problem experienced by people after a car crash, and it can be tough for some health practitioners to identify the root of the issue. Complicating the issue, many times you won't develop TMJ pain until many weeks or months after the incident.

Dr. Fritz has treated many individuals with jaw pain after an injury, and the medical literature explains what causes these types of problems. During a car accident, the tissues in your neck are commonly stretched or torn, causing ligament, muscle, or nerve injury. 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 pins and needles 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 injury are very common because of neck injury, and the TMJ works the same way. Dr. Fritz sees this very commonly in our Jacksonville and Fleming Island office.

Research Proves Chiropractic Therapy Helps TMJ Pain After Car Crash

Studies have shown that the source of many jaw or TMJ symptoms starts 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: Dr. Fritz will work to return your spinal column back to health, relieving the inflammation, treating the injured areas, and eliminating the irritation to the nerves in your spine.

Dr. Fritz finds that jaw and headache symptoms often resolve once we return your spine to its healthy condition.

If you reside in Jacksonville and Fleming Island and you've been injured in a crash, Dr. Fritz can help. We've been treating auto injury patients for many years and we can most likely help you, too. Give our office a call today at (904) 425-9060 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.