Accidents and Injuries

Jaw pain can make chewing, yawning, and talking a painful experience. This is a syndrome known as Temporomandibular Joint syndrome or disorder or TMJ and TMD. What happens is the temporomandibular joint that connects the jaw to the skull becomes inflamed. It is part of the musculoskeletal system, which means that chiropractors can treat the syndrome with various chiropractic techniques that include soft tissue work and temporomandibular joint adjustments. Chiropractic can bring lasting relief from Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome/Disorder.

How to Tell if TMJ Is Present

Jaw pain is the most common symptom but there are other factors that can cause pain. To help determine if it is TMJ, here is a list of additional symptoms:

• Difficulty or pain moving the mouth such as when chewing
• Popping sensation sound when opening/closing the jaw
• Cracking sensation sound when opening or closing the jaw
• Headaches that radiate to the facial muscles
• Tooth pain
• Pain in the neck and shoulders
• Tightness in the jaw
• Facial muscles become fatigued
• Dizziness or ringing in the ears

Chiropractic and Dental

If it is TMJ should an individual see a dentist or a chiropractor? This depends on the situation and individual.

• If TMJ is caused by teeth grinding while sleeping, or there is pain/problems with the teeth then seeing a dentist is recommended.
• If TMJ pain is accompanied by joint or muscle pain, or there is neck and/or back pain, then chiropractic is recommended.
• Certain cases could require dental treatment and a chiropractor for the joint issues.

Chiropractic TMJ Treatment

Jaw Adjustment

One way chiropractic treats TMJ is through jaw adjustment/s. This varies from patient to patient. An example assessment and adjustment for TMJ.

• The chiropractor will utilize the most beneficial technique/s for each individual.
• The chiropractor will have the individual open and close their jaw while feeling each side.
• They will determine which side opens first and widest, and which opens last and not as wide.
• Then they will perform a jaw adjustment through gentle pressure applied to both sides of the jaw.

Soft Tissue Treatment

A contributor to jaw pain can be attributed to the muscles that are used to open and close. In this case, the chiropractor will perform soft tissue manipulation to loosen them up. This releases the jaw so it evens out. This also helps with headaches associated with TMJ. The focus is on three muscles:

• Masseter
• Pterygoid
• Temporalis

A chiropractor will mobilize these muscles applying pressure repeatedly as the individual opens and closes their mouth.

Jaw Exercise Therapy

The chiropractor will recommend exercises to help quicken the healing process and strengthen the muscles. These are simple exercises that can be done at home or work to help relieve any discomfort or pain and for prevention.

Mouth Opening

• Place one thumb under the chin
• Open the mouth and gently push against it with the thumb
• Hold for 5 to 8 seconds then close mouth
• Repeat a few times every day

Mouth Closing

• Open the mouth holding the chin with the index finger and thumb from both hands
• Close jaw with gentle resistance with the fingers
• Hold for 5 to 8 seconds
• Repeat a few times every day

A chiropractor may collaborate with a dentist to provide the best treatment plan.

Body Composition

Body Dehydration

Dehydration happens when the body loses more water than it can replace. This can come from frequent:

• Diarrhea episodes
• Vomiting episodes
• Too much alcohol the night before
• Excessive sweating
• Excessive urination

When dehydration sets in a wide range of symptoms can present. Early signs/symptoms include:

• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Dry mouth
• Cool skin

If dehydration is not addressed in the early stages, it can lead to not having the urge/need to urinate. There is potential for long-term health issues like high blood pressure. High blood pressure is common for individuals that are chronically dehydrated. When the body’s cells lack water, the brain sends a signal to secrete vasopressin, which is a chemical that constricts the blood vessels. This causes blood pressure to rise. This could eventually lead to heart failure. If the blood vessels continue to progressively narrow, oxygen, and blood circulation to the brain decreases. This results in migraine headaches and decreased ability to concentrate.

Disclaimer

The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional, licensed physician, and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make your own health care decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified health care professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from a wide array of disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the musculoskeletal system’s injuries or disorders. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and support, directly or indirectly, our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request. We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP, CIFM, CTG*
email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com
phone: 915-850-0900
Licensed in Texas & New Mexico

References

Ibi, Miho. “Inflammation and Temporomandibular Joint Derangement.” Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin vol. 42,4 (2019): 538-542. doi:10.1248/bpb.b18-00442

Blum, Charles L. “Chiropractic and dentistry in the 21st Century.” Cranio: the journal of craniomandibular practice vol. 22,1 (2004): 1-3. doi:10.1179/crn.2004.001

Brantingham, James W et al. “Manipulative and multimodal therapy for upper extremity and temporomandibular disorders: a systematic review.” Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics vol. 36,3 (2013): 143-201. doi:10.1016/j.jmpt.2013.04.001

https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/health-info/tmj

Over the last 10 years, new research has found that TMJ and its well-known symptoms resulting after an auto accident could actually originate from neck complications. After a neck injury, the pain signals travel from the spine to the brainstem. In this process, the nerves from numerous areas of the body also travel into the brainstem where they will gather together before being transmitted to the pain centers of the brain. As the nerve signals converge, the various signals can become crossed and confused.

The nerves found on the jaw connect through the neck with pain receptors from the spine. As chronic pain signals from an automobile injury trigger an over-stimulation, an individual suffering from a neck injury such as whiplash can also experience pain in other areas of the head, including the jaw. The jaw then reacts to the constant symptoms of pain by tensing up the muscles surrounding the jaw, causing even more pain and discomfort.

Chiropractic care is an effective treatment option for individuals who’ve experienced damage or injury as a result of an auto accident. With the use of spinal adjustments, manual manipulation, and occasional stretches and exercises, a chiropractor can help a person with temporomandibular joint disorders and other neck complications recover from their injuries. By getting to the root cause of your pain, a chiropractor can get you back on the road to health.