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 Photo Source:
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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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By putting the neck back into alignment and taking pressure off the nerves, the neck can work like it should. This means the muscles, neck spinal bones, ligaments, tendons, nerves, and discs.
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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.
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?
