Can My Neck Also Be Causing My Jaw Pain?

Your neck may be the cause of your jaw pain. We don’t always connect the dots on this one, but the fact is, basically everything in the body is connected. It’s easy to think of the neck spine connected to the back because it’s a series of vertebrae or spinal bones stacked on one another.

In this case, your cranium or skull connects to the top of the spine, the jaw connects to the head. We call this the TMJ or temperomandibular joint. The temporal bone and the mandible (lower jaw bone) join to form your TMJ.

When we shift the neck it will shift the head, therefore this joint will be altered. The way the muscles lay will be altered too. Just like any other area of the body, like our upper back and neck, imbalances in the muscles will pull a bone out of place too. As a matter of fact, if you have jaw pain, feel around your TMJ (you can feel it on the side of your cheek when you open and close the mouth), I betcha there are tight and tender spots in the muscle. You will also have tight spots in the neck, guaranteed.

Putting your cervical spine in correct alignment will help balance the muscles and align your jaw also. Massaging the muscles of the jaw will help quite a bit, but the problem will often return until you work on your neck.


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Shoveling Snow in the Winter strains the back and the heart

Well we are in the full swing of winter here in CT. I look outside my window and know that in a few hours I will have to go out and shovel my driveway…again. Shoveling snow is an activity that needs to be done properly so as not to injure your back. Turns out it can also injure your heart: it can strain the heart, particularly since the cold weather narrows blood vessels.


We have all heard the signs and symptoms of a heart attack. According the American Heart Association they are:

• Chest Discomfort – Imagine an like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back.
  
• Pain and Discomfort in other parts of the parts of the body such as: arm pain (in one or both arms, back pain, neck pain jaw pain, or even stomach pain
  
• Shortness of Breath
  
• Breaking into a Cold Sweat
  
• Nausea
  
• Lightheadness
  

According to Dr. Holly Anderson, director of education and outreach at the Ronald O. Perelman Heart Institute of New York-Presbyterian Hospital “Frigid air causes blood vessels to constrict as the body tries to prevent heat loss”.

This is a natural response that can also put people with heart conditions and those involved in strenuous exercise at greater risk of having a heart attack ," Andersen said.

The narrowing raises blood pressure and can reduce oxygen flow to the heart. Combined with a strenuous activity, such as shoveling snow, this can strain the heart, triggering a heart attack in those at risk.

Though women may also experience pain, they are more likely than men to experience shortness of breath, nausea or vomiting and back or jaw pain

Precautions should be taken if you have a weak or compromised heart. A heart attack can be easily mistaken for a pulled muscle. This is why it is important to be on the lookout for certain symptoms after you finish shoveling snow.

Dr. Anderson suggests that certain precautions be taken during the winter season to prevent a heart attack:

• As with any activity, don’t forget to stretch. Jumping out of bed without warming up to shovel snow is not a good idea. Limber up by stretching or walking before you start.
  
• Dress appropriately. Wear windproof and waterproof outer garments, place a scarf over your mouth and nose to warm up the air before you breathe it in and wear layers. Bundling up will help maintain your body heat. Ski socks are a good idea.
  
• To avoid overexertion, try the less strenuous technique of pushing the snow with the shovel rather than lifting it. Also, take frequent breaks -- shovel for 15 minutes, then rest for 15.
  
• If you're over 50, overweight, not active, are a smoker or have suffered a previous heart attack, consult a doctor before shoveling snow. Your risk is higher for a heart attack than the average joe. You may want to hire a local landscaping company to handle your driveway for the season.

Source: Heart attacks more common in winter; tips to lower your risk

Additional Reading Resources:

• The Winter Weather is Here. Are you Shoveling Snow properly?
  
• Recent Study Shows that Biofreeze Reduces Pain and Blood Flow & Increases Muscle Function
  
• My Trapezius Hurts, How Do I Find Relief?
  
• Sleep At Age 40 Is Important For Your Heart Health
  
• Losing the Back Pain from your Life
  

Visit Arc4life.com for your online selection of cervical support neck pillows, orthopedic pain relief products and Home traction units. Products for pain relief.

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The Neck Pain and TMJ Connection

Today’s blog post comes from Dr. Matt Bellinger’s Chiropractic newsletter that he mails to his patients monthly. A chiropractor in Glastonbury, Dr. Bellinger is dedicated to treating chronic conditions such as neck pain and lower back pain.

If you have ever suffered with jaw pain, then you also suffered with neck pain as well. The two are structurally related as we shall see.

The jaw (frequently referred to as the TMJ) is associated with neck function, especially the upper cervical vertebrae. 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.”

Additional Reading Resources

• More Americans Using Alternative Therapies for Pain Relief
  
• Severe Neck Pain From A Herniated Disc: What are your treatment options
  
• When a Little Car Accident Can Cause A lot of Pain
  
• Studies About Neck Pain
  
  

Photo Source: New England Dental

Visit Arc 4 Life for your online selection of cervical support neck pillows, orthopedic pain relief products, lower back supports and cushions.


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