With extreme forward head, you get extension of occiput on atlas: doing so
cases a change in TMJ alignment, and bite patterns/where teeth meet
(technical term eludes me at the moment). This is a very significant
finding: remember that there are reflex mechanisms which feed back from
the upper cervical spine/cervical nerves to EVERY cranial nerve, and the
reflex loops work in both directions. Has anyone work on postural
education with this patient?
NK
At 08:14 PM 3/19/01 -0500, you wrote:
>I received a patient today who is experiencing what seems to be night time
>complete muscle spasm of the right temporalis muscle. She has been to Oral
>Surgeons, Neurologists, and had injections, cleared of TMJ, and almost 30
>different bite and mouth appliances. From her history she only gets the
>temporalis spasms at night, but is sore in a pattern that fits the
>superficial insertion of the temporalis, from anterior of her skull up and in
>a semicircle to just behind the mastoid. No trigger points in SCM, Scalenes
>nor in Trapezius. Only odd assessment was extreme forward head, cervical
>extension mostly from C4-C5 and soreness along the right occipital ridge.
>This pain and pattern has been going on for 4 years.
>
>Any input???
>
>Steve Marcum PT, CSCS
>Kentucky, USA
|