Temporomandibular Joint Disorders (TMJ) Provides
Another Reason Not To Smile About Whiplash.
Author: Nick Jervis

Most people are aware of at least one or two of the symptoms of
whiplash injury; the majority will probably be aware of neck
pain, back pain and, possibly, headaches. Less are probably
aware of the other and associated symptoms that this injury can
also entail: fatigue, blurred vision, shoulder pain, dizziness,
memory problems and mood-swings. Fewer still are generally aware
of temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ) that can be brought
on by whiplash.

Generally it is not common knowledge that whiplash can affect
the jaw and teeth. These joint disorders often go overlooked as
they are usually symptoms that take some time to manifest
themselves; often taking as long as several months.

During a rear end, front-on or side-impact collision, the head
and neck are subjected to a variety of forces that extend the
cervical spine beyond its natural range of motion and 'snap'
them back into place with great speed and sudden, forceful
movements; mimicking the action of a whiplash. These areas can
move at 1.5 to 2 times the acceleration of the vehicle itself,
if the vehicle is moving at a relatively slow speed, say 8 mph,
for example. At higher speeds, the head and neck can accelerate
at up to 10 times the speed of the vehicle, resulting in severe
damage.

In the case of TMJ injuries, the jaw joint is stretched as the
head accelerates forward and up with sudden force. Many
sufferers report a loud clicking or popping sensation at the
time of impact. The small bone that links the jaw joint is then
forced back into and against the socket as the head recoils from
its forward trajectory; in effect the jaw can mimic the whiplash
action that the head and neck go through during an impact.

Although the actual TMJ injury can take a long time to fully
materialise, the symptoms that follow can be as painful and, in
some cases, as debilitating as the whiplash injury itself. These
symptoms can include chronic headaches, ringing in the ears, a
fullness in the ears, nose and sinuses, facial pain, pain or the
sensation of a foreign body in the throat, difficulty in
swallowing, eye-pain, clicking of the jaw-joint, facial
stiffness or weakness, skin rashes, a feeling of toothache and
pain in the scalp area.

In some cases, the jaw snaps shut with such force that damage
is done to the nerves and pulp of the teeth and has been known
to cause `root-death' that can mean dental extraction. The
injury is comparable to an 'uppercut' punch or kick to the jaw.

TMJ is still one of the lesser known side effects of whiplash
injury and associated disorders. It is becoming more prevalent
and understood in medical circles, which have combined forces
with personal injury specialists to prove to motor insurance
companies that this is a painful and legitimate condition.

In the past, motor insurers have been reluctant to make
payments for the treatment of TMJ, especially as the symptoms
can occur a long time after the impact has taken place. Now,
however, thanks to further research, TMJ is being treated with
the seriousness it deserves.

For further information, please visit our website at
http://www.1stclaims.co.uk


About The Author: http://www.1stclaims.co.uk is run by a
non-practising Personal Injury Solicitor with over 14 years
personal injury claims experience. We use this first hand
knowledge of the Personal Injury Claim system to hand select the
very best personal injury solicitors for you.