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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I woke up with a terrible pain in my neck when I move it. Must have fallen asleep in bad position. Help?

Question:This morning I woke up and when I move my neck I have a terrible pain!! I know I must have fallen asleep in a bad position but it has never hurt so bad. I can't look both sides. I have to keep my head tilted down. If I lift it up straight, it hurts terribly. It hurts to try to get my head on the pillow. Has this happened to any of you?? Will Tylenol help?? I hate taking meds unless I think it really works! HELP!

Answer: Yes, this happens to everybody at some time in their life. Sometimes sleeping in an awkward position strains our neck muscles to the point that it causes stiffness and pain. Sleeping on a couch or in a weird position is not healthy for ones neck. My recommendation would be to use a heating pack and also do to neck stretches. Right now, you may not be able to move your head too much- but only do the stretches to the point of feeling a stretch, not to the point of pain. The best thing would be do them while having a hot shower (let the water hit the back of the neck and upper back), as this will help to loosen up the muscles.

Also, you should get a good neck pillow to sleep on. Specifically one that will align your head and neck in a good position for sleeping. Check out Arc 4 Life’s Linear Gravity Neck Pillow- This is a great cervical support pillow. It has two different neck rolls for you too choose from. A pillow that does not give you support or one that raises your head too much can cause neck pain and stiffness in the morning. It is tough to find the right balance, but very important for getting a good nights sleep. Sleeping on a supportive neck pillow is also good for your neck posture.

Also, you should work on the tight muscles of your neck- use a pain relief gel like ben gay or biofreeze to alleviate the pain.

I think that taking the Tylenol may help you temporarily- but this is not a long term solution at all, so I do not recommend it. If you want to use a natural muscle relaxer, try Formula 303

Finally, I highly recommend that you see a chiropractor. They will be able to some gentle mobilization on your cervical spine and check to see if you have a misalignment. They can do therapy in the office as well ( like heat, ice or e-stim). Trigger point therapy will also be beneficial for you.


Hope this helps.

Additional Reading Resources:

• Solutions for A Stiff Neck
  
• How to Choose the Right Neck Pillow
  
• Having Good Neck Posture
  
• What Can Cause a Stiff Neck?
  
• How To Reduce the Chances of Getting A Stiff Neck
  
• How to Do Neck Exercises at Home
  

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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How Driving A Truck can be Cause for Neck Pain and Lower Back Pain

Driving a Truck is a tough job- one that is physically demanding on the body. The fact that you sitting continuously is stressful on your neck and lower back area. This prolonged sitting, long hours without proper sleep, constant vibration and sometimes poor diet while on the road can make the case for poor health. Coincide that with a pre-existing condition in your neck and back area, may be aggravating one’s symptoms even further. So what are some things that a truck driver can do to maintain good health while on the road?

You may have to change the way you are working- for example, maybe lower or raise the truck seat, and use a lumbar cushion on your back to get the proper lordosis. Sometimes, your vehicle seat also has a built in lumbar support that you can inflate.

If you are doing heavy lifting make sure you are wearing a lumbar support belt to protect your lower back area.

Make sure you have a good head rest when you are driving as well. Even using a towel roll or Jackson Roll can aid in making sure you have good posture in your neck while driving.

Before starting a days work, stretch your neck and lower back area. Getting our joints and muscles warmed up before any activity can prevent major injuries later on. Truck driving is not just sitting for prolonged periods of time- the job description involves much more. There is a lot of heavy lifting, loading and unloading the trailer, yanking on certain parts of the truck like chains, and getting into and out of the truck which can be physically demanding on the body. Most people who are truck drivers are in good shape, but overall there is a lot of wear and tear on the body. There is a lot of bending, twisting and lifting involved.

An exercise program may be beneficial especially with the long hours with no activity that stresses the joints and body. Simply getting outside and walking after a few hours of driving can make a big difference. There are other treatments to try as well such as: chiropractic, massage therapy, Acupuncture, Physical therapy, traction for the neck/lower back - maybe even aquatic therapy.

Additional Reading Resources

• The Things that Make You Say " OH my neck": A Blog Post
  
• The Slim Back Rest for Lower Back Pain Relief
  Neck Posture
  
• How to Properly wear a lumbar Support Belt for Moderate- Severe Lower back pain
  
• Your Daily Neck Pain Free Regime
  
• Lower Back Pain Relief
  
• A non surgical way to treat moderate to severe lower back pain
  

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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Sleeping Comfortably when You Have Neck and Lower Back Pain

If you are experiencing neck and lower back pain you know that it can be very difficult to get into a comfortable position for sleeping. In fact, you may find yourself tossing and turning for most of the night. You may even have tried sleeping on different mattresses, chairs, using different pillows and positions. So what can you do finally get some deep sound sleep?

Using a cervical support neck pillow (one with an indentation in the middle) can make a big difference. For example, Arc4life’s cervical traction neck pillow is a good cervical support pillow especially for neck pain relief. This neck pillow has two sides to it- a support side and a traction side. The traction side with give your head a gentle lift while sleeping and keep your head and neck in the proper position for sleeping. This cervical traction neck pillow is not going to be hard like the tempurpedic pillow- and it is not going to be soft like a feather pillow. It is called a cervical support neck pillow because it supports your head and neck in the most natural position.

Also, sleeping with pillows placed under your knees will help the lower back pain ease. You can buy fancy positioning products such as a knee elevator.
This position of sleeping will decrease the pressure placed on the lower back muscles and bones. IF you sleep on your side, take a pillow and put it in between your knees. For sleeping on your side you can try the spinal relief pillow: perfect for placing in between your legs when sleeping on your side.


Also, using a heating pad on your neck and lower back will help to decrease pain and calm the muscles down.


Additional Reading Resources

• Which Sleeping Position Is Best For Me?
  
• Choosing the Best Neck Pillow for the Best Night’s Sleep Possible
  
• 6 Ways To Get A Better Night’s Sleep
  
• Counting Sheep to Fall Asleep, Does it Work?
  

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How to get rid of foot and leg pain after standing all day?

One of my friends works at Nordstroms- all day she stands at the cash register or is putting stuff nicely on the displays- thats her job- stand, walk, stand, stand some more. So you can imagine that at the end of day she is going to be having pain in her feet and legs. Multiply that 1 day by 5- and she may be experiencing some major pains. What can she do for this foot and leg pain...well i have some ideas for pain relief:

Get fitted for orthotics- they can make such a big difference in your stance and the way you walk. They will make sure you have the proper arches in your feet, thus helping your posture. Foot orthotics allow the muscles, tendons & bones of the feet and lower legs to function at the best that they possibly can. They will help to decrease pain that you have associated with standing for prolonged periods of time.

You can get fitted at your chiropractors office for custom orthotics- insurance will cover it as well sometimes. The chiropractor has to fit your for these orthotics and they do this with a special mold of your feet. Alternately, you can also purchase a generic version at a pharmacy--but they won't be as effective or last as long.

Also at the end of the day take a tennis ball and massage the bottom of your foot. You can do this sitting. Sit on comfortable surface. Put the tennis ball on the floor and put your foot on top- then roll the ball with your foot along the tendons. This will help give you a good stretch of the foot tendons and muscles as well.



Alternately, you can also get a home foot massager. The Jeanie Foot Rub Massager is specifically designed for aching feet and legs. There are two speeds: a soothing low speed or an invigorating high speed massage for your feet. This foot massager is great for temporary discomforts or chronic conditions.

Well my friend continues to work but with some relief now- standing at a job is extremely tough on the body, but with a little extra effort we can make it more relaxing and less painful.

Additional Resources:

• Massage Products for the back, neck, legs and feet
  
• How to Treat Tight Muscles
  
• Hot and Cold Therapy
  
• Natural Pain Relief for the Knees
  
• The High Heels Controversy: Do they cause Lower back Pain
  

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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Natural Pain Relief for the Knee

Chronic knee pain can be caused by an arthritic condition such as osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. Chronic Knee pain can also result post trauma, such as a past knee injury. Knee pain can be brought on by temperature changes outside, a rigorous workout such as kick boxing or even running. It can affect how well you are able to move around and simple things as standing to do the dishes can become quite a chore. What are some things that you can do for your knee pain naturally?

• Slow moving martial arts called Tai Chi has been found to be a natural pain relief technique that is can decrease chronic knee pain. In fact, a new Tufts University study found that practicing tai chi for 12 weeks eased the pain of greater than 75% of people with chronic knee pain.
  
• Use a topical analgesic gel such as Ibunex that contains Ibuprofen. Ibunex contains a combination of glucosamine and ibuprofen which works together to relieve chronic knee pain and delays the progression of osteoarthritis.
  
• Use positioning products to make yourself more comfortable creating less stress on the knee joint. For example, use a leg spacer between your legs while sleeping (on your side) or a knee elevator (while sleeping on your back) under your legs. Positioning your knees in a position of maximum relief can allow for better circulation
  
• If you are active and want to have extra knee support consider using a knee support- one that provides warms and mild compression. Try to use an elastic knee support as opposed to neoprene because elastic webbing acts like a muscle in that it stretches and contracts easily to conform to your body shape. It also provides constant pull or tension. Similar to a muscle so that you cannot overstretch your joints. If you suffer from chronic knee pain and use a knee support- use an elastic knee brace or an x-back elastic knee brace.
  

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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What Is the Best Neck Pillow for Someone with a Cervical Disc?

By far, the #1 neck pillow we reccomend is the Cervical Traction Neck Pillow. The reason is that it will support the neck its proper alignment. By putting the normal curvature in the neck it allows the discs to stay in place as much as possible.

Secondly, it also takes tension off the spinal cord allowing inflammation to dissipate from the region and allow hydration and nutrients in. This in turn helps the discs to retract back into place.


Third, it gives a gentle stretch to the cervical spine allowing the nerve holes to open up, again reducing pressure and inflammation.

In addition to using the cervical traction neck pillow one will also benefit by doing regular neck traction during the day using the Pronex Pneumatic Cervical Traction Device, until symptoms resolve.

Additional Reading Resources

• Neck Pain resulting from a C5, C6, C7, or C8 Radiculopathy
  
• The Cervical traction Neck Pillow Can Reduce Snoring !
  
• Are Your Severe Neck Pain Symptoms the Result of a Cervical Radiculopathy?
  
• The Right Neck Pillow After A Car Accident
  
• Choosing the Best Neck Pillow Based On your Symptoms
  

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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