MRI C-Spine ? - TMJ Disorder -TemporoMandibular Joint Message Board

valentine92 · 12-06-2007, 06:47 AM

Will an MRI of the C-Spine show TMJ?

I had xrays done and they show some arthritis and thinning by the c5-c6 disks. I was just wondering if that could be linked to tmj?

Any thoughts?

Thelma-Louise · 12-06-2007, 01:48 PM

I do not think a MRI of the c-spine will diagnose tmj but it may show the affects of it. My herniated discs (C5,6 & 7) seemed to be related to my tmj. Although my spinal MRI seemd normal (except for the herniations) based on medical reviews it was a neuromuscular dentist who looked at them and based on some mathematical measurements he did on tracing paper he put over the MRI films (I had obtained copies for myself from the the Imaging center) he pointed out my atlas and axis (C1 & C2) were rotated toward the left and off center which he felt caused the other discs to become herniated as well as other tmj symptoms I was experiencing. According to him if either one of these verterbrae are even slightly off center they can cause a lot of problems and the way they can become off center is through injury, a deviated jaw and/or over working facial muscles which can push things out of alignment.

alorcoy · 12-06-2007, 04:19 PM

I certainly think herniated discs are related to TMJ. Just this week I am dealing with my first herniated disc. I was stretching my neck and feeling all that tightness from shoulders up through my jaw, heard a huge "pop" and woke up the next morning hardly able to move my neck. My doc thinks the disc is herniated, although I didn't have x-rays, taking steroids and painkillers right now. Hope it all improves. When I heard the pop I felt my jaw shift, and my jaw has actually felt better than it normally does, although it was hard to really tell with the misery my neck was in.