Neck Pain, Headache and the Jaw Joint
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Houston Chiropractor Comments: Neck pain and headaches can be very disabling and can significantly alter a person’s normal pattern of living. Simple things like reading the newspaper, cooking, driving a car, and/or looking down when feeding a baby, can become almost intolerable. Canceling plans for the day or saying “no” to vacations can be very disheartening and often occurs because of severe neck pain and/or headache making these activities simply, “no fun.” The cause of the headaches associated with neck pain and dysfunction is usually due to the compression caused by the tight neck muscles squeezing the upper three nerve roots in the neck region, resulting in radiating pain into the head. Frequently, light and noise sensitivity, as well as nausea, can accompany a severe headache, which only adds to the activity limitations associated with neck pain. In fact, there are many experts who feel most headaches, even migraines, stem from the neck or are at least are very closely related. Since neck pain affects approximately two thirds of the population at some point during their lifetime, it becomes clear that headaches, in the absence of neck pain, are quite uncommon. 
Another interesting and lesser-known relationship is the jaw (frequently referred to as the TMJ) and its association with neck function, especially the upper cervical vertebrae, as well as headaches. The muscles that move the jaw/TMJ are largely innervated by the 5th cranial nerve, also called the trigeminal nerve. Several studies have found that when stimulating structures innervated by the trigeminal nerve, neck and/or jaw pain was created and vise versa. Similarly, patients with jaw problems (called temporomandibular dysfunction or, TMD) often report neck pain. When we open our mouth wide, head-neck extension always occurs followed by head-flexion when we close the jaw. Hence, the neck is always moving when we chew, yawn, talk, and clench our teeth. In fact, all of these every day activities result in jaw, head, neck motion extending from the base of the skull and first cervical vertebra (occiput-C1) and continues down through the entire cervical spine. This was investigated in a study where the relationship between neck symptoms, jaw function – specifically active mouth opening, and pressure pain sensitivity in a trigeminal nerve innervated region after a spinal manipulation was applied to the upper neck vertebrae. Here, 37 female patients with neck pain were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups (control and experimental) and, before and after treatment, exams of mouth opening and pressure pain levels were measured. The group receiving the upper neck manipulation showed a significant increase in active mouth opening motion as well as improved pressure pain tolerance compared to the control/non-manipulation group in a sample of woman with neck pain. This study is very important as many people suffer from neck pain, headaches and TMD. In order to properly treat these patients, one must focus on multiple regions, not just the neck area. It has been demonstrated when we bite down, there is a corresponding tightening of two important muscles in the neck and upper back region. Similarly, studies show relaxation of muscles in the neck, upper back and TMJ after spinal manipulation to the neck is applied. Injuries to the TMJ are common but often not pursued by patients as often they’ll say, “my jaw clicks and snaps but I don’t think about it much.”
If you, a friend, or a loved one are struggling with neck pain in Houston, headaches, or TMD/jaw pain, we will properly assess your condition and administer the appropriate care that is required. We also coordinate services with other health care providers when necessary. This recommendation may represent one of most significant acts of kindness you can give to those that you truly care about.
Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!
Dr Beecher’s July 13 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, July 13th, 2015
To download a copy of this newsletter, click here. If you would like to know more about Beecher Chiropractic and the best chiropractic clinic in Houston please give us a call!
Mental Attitude: Repeat Head Injuries Affect Brain Structure. A young adult who has previously experienced two or more mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs) may have structural changes in his or her brain that could signal a greater risk for dementia later in life. Compared to healthy controls without a history of head injuries, MRI scans of young adults who suffered two or more mTBIs indicate reduced cortical thickness in the areas of the brain associated with visual memories, language comprehension, emotion association, motor control, self-awareness, cognitive functioning, interpersonal experience, contemplating distance, recognition of known faces, and accessing word meaning while reading. Previous research has associated cortical thinning with increased dementia risk. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, May 2015
Health Alert: Smartphones May Interfere with Pacemakers. Though the risk is small, experts in association with the European Society of Cardiology advise patients with pacemakers and other cardiac devices to avoid storing their smartphones in pockets directly over their chest and to hold their phones over their right ear when making a call. European Society of Cardiology, June 2015
Diet: Western Diet May Be Deadly for Prostate Cancer Patients. A diet high in red meats, processed meats, refined grains, and high-fat dairy products (often referred to as the Western diet) may increase the risk of early death for people with prostate cancer. During a 14-year study, researchers found that those who ate a predominantly Western diet were 67% more likely to die from any cause than those who ate a more heart-healthy diet. Senior author Dr. Jorge Chavarro adds, “There is currently very little evidence to counsel men living with prostate cancer on how they can modify their lifestyle to improve survival. Our results suggest that a heart- healthy diet may benefit these men by specifically reducing their chances of dying of prostate cancer.” Cancer Prevention Research, June 2015
Exercise: Music Strategy Encourages Patients to Exercise More. Cardiac rehabilitation patients who listened to a music device equipped with tempo-pace synchronization exercised over 100 minutes more per week than fellow patients who did not have the benefit of such technology. Tempo-pace synchronization helps cue individuals to take their next step and thus helps regulate, maintain, and reinforce the prescribed exercise speed or pace. Senior scientist Dr. David Alter writes, “If this average increase of exercise was sustained for an average 65-year-old male patient, it would correlate with a projected life-expectancy increase of two and a half years.” Sports Medicine, May 2015
Chiropractic: Manual Therapies Help TMD Patients. An analysis of eight published studies concludes that manual therapies are an effective treatment for patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD). In particular, the report notes the efficacy of myofascial release and massage on the masticatory muscles as well as spinal manipulative therapy and mobilization applied to the upper cervical spine. Such treatments are commonly performed by doctors of chiropractic. Journal of Oral Rehabilitation, June 2015
Wellness/Prevention: Tough Alcohol Laws Reduce Teen Drinking. Teen drinking rates drop when state alcohol laws get tougher. Researchers developed a scoring system to assess strong alcohol-related policies and found that for every ten additional percentage points earned for strong alcohol-related state laws, teens in that state had an 8% lower risk of drinking and 7% lower risk of binge drinking. Co-author Dr. Timothy Naimi adds, “A large proportion of the adverse effects of alcohol do not occur only to the person consuming alcohol but to other people in society. Part of the duty of society is to regulate dangerous products, not just adverse effects for kids but also for adults who don’t drink alcohol.” Pediatrics, July 2015
Quote: “I just want you to know that you’re very special… and the only reason I’m telling you is that I don’t know if anyone else ever has.” ~ Stephen Chbosky
This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or BeecherChiropractic.com .
