Chiropractic Effective for TMJ Pain After Car Crash

Jaw or TMJ pain is a fairly typical condition reported by many people after a auto injury, and it can be tough for some physicians to find the root of the problem. Complicating the matter, oftentimes you won't experience TMJ symptoms until many weeks or months after the incident.

Dr. Nowak has helped many people with jaw pain after an injury, and the medical research explains what triggers these types of symptoms. During a auto accident, the tissues in your spine are commonly stretched or torn, causing ligament, muscle, or nerve damage. This can clearly cause pain in the neck and back, but since your central nervous system is one functioning unit, irritation of the nerves can cause issues in other parts of your body.

For example, 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 injury, like your head and jaw. Headaches after auto collision are very common because of neck injury, and the TMJ works the same way. Dr. Nowak sees this very often in our South Buffalo office.

Research Supports Chiropractic Adjustments Helps TMJ Pain After Auto Accident

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 key to dealing with these symptoms is simple: Dr. Nowak will work to return your spinal column back to health, decreasing the inflammatory reaction, treating the injured areas, and lessening the irritation to the nerves in your spine.

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

If you reside in South Buffalo and you've been hurt in a crash, Dr. Nowak can help. We've been working with auto injury patients for many years and we can most likely help you, too. Give our office a call today at (716) 825-4121 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.