TMJ Dentist Virginia Beach

Numbness and Tingling in Arms and Fingers

Temporomandibular disorder affects the nerves and muscles of the face, jaw, neck and shoulders. The nerves of the jaw are very complex and involve nerves and muscles of the neck as well. The affected nerves of the neck can refer shooting pain downs the arms and into the fingers.

The sternocleidomastoid muscles are anterior muscles in the neck that act to flex and rotate the head. It also acts as an accessory muscle of inspiration, along with the scalene muscles of the neck. The action of the anterior and middle scalene muscles is to elevate the first rib and rotate the neck to the same side.

The scalene muscles have an important relationship to other structures in the neck. The brachial plexus and subclavian artery pass between the anterior and middle scalenes. The subclavian vein and phrenic nerve pass anteriorly to the anterior scalene as it crosses over the first rib.

When the sternocleidomastoid and scalene  muscles  are in spasm they can pinch the nerves in the brachial plexis leading down the arms and into the hands, which in turn results in feelings of numbness or tingling.

A Neuromuscular dentist can help you with numbness or tingling in your hands or arms by working with the source of the problem, your bite. Once we have your bite aligned, the muscles affected by the misalignment will be able to go back to their normal function, relieving the spasm and the numbness and tingling that are felt as a result.

Dr. Carol F. Morgan, DDS, can help numbness and tingling in your arms and fingers associated with TMJ disorders whether you live in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, York County, Williamsburg, or any other surrounding city in Hampton Roads.