Have heard this way too much! Need to set things straight with the facts about TMJ and HA
Proper jaw function is vital to help reduce headaches. I see it all the time!! Patients come in and tell me how they get headaches on a regular basis and get their regular neck massage or adjustment and there good for a couple of weeks. When they come in, their cervical spines are always tight and tender, and their jaws are a mess.
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) function is one of the most important joints in the body when it comes to functions and neurology. When dysfunctional it will alter neck function (why do you think neck aches constantly come back? And why do you think neck region is often massaged or adjusted to help relieve headaches?). Treating the neck region for headaches is only scratching the surface.
The image above it of the TMJ and a nerve called your trigeminal nerve. The trigeminal nerve passes through the TMJ region and supplies the face with sensation and muscles around the face to work. Very important! The jaw hangs of your skull like a swing and moves in all directions to help us speak and chew. It has so many sophisticated movements that make it very easy to become dysfunctional. When TMJ doesn’t work the way it’s supposed to it irritates the trigeminal nerve.
The trigeminal nerve not only supplies the face, but it gives the brain enormous amounts of feedback. When the nerve is irritated the feedback amps right up as if the nerve has been injected with red bull. This kind of wind up over excited neurons in the brain. The over excitment is what leads to inflammation and headaches.
This is why it gets to me when we keep seeing patients with chronic headaches who only get their necks looked at over and over again to receive temporary relief.
Fix the problem!!!!!!
Tips
- Chronic Headaches! Have you had your jaw looked at?
- If you often feel like your neck is going out of place and massage or adjustments aren’t helping, maybe get your jaw checked.
- A jaw that doesn’t work right can be causing your headaches. Get it checked.
Quotes
- “Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) function is one of the most important joints in the body when it comes to functions and neurology”
- “When Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) doesn’t work the way it’s supposed to, it irritates the trigeminal nerve.”
