Bruxism and Cervical Pain:
The Hidden Link Exposed

The etiology of chronic Bruxism has been found to be sometimes associated with cervical pain arising from cervical and spine muscle-joint mal function. Bruxism and cervical pain are in that sense related phenomenon in many cases of Bruxism.

Bruxism symptoms and causal factors

1. Bruxism is a medical terminology for an oral condition that causes teeth grinding and (or) teeth clenching habits
2. Bruxism teeth grinding and teeth clenching can differ in intensity as well as duration, in different people
3. Childhood Bruxism is a common occurrence that gets resolved without medical aid
4. However, there are times when Bruxism teeth grinding habits subsists through adulthood (or starts during adulthood) and becomes a chronic habit
5. Bruxism conditions that stay on for a long duration often results in severe damage to teeth and therefore call for measures to treat the condition
6. The causal factors of Bruxism are many and can range anywhere from stress to jaw disorders to cervical problems
7. Often, chronic Bruxism can in fact end up causing a lot of these related conditions
8. Bruxism habits may require holistic and multi disciplinary treatments in order to put an end to the cycle of causal and consequential associated health problems that inevitable crop up (because of acute teeth grinding) 

The relation between Bruxism and cervical pain

Bruxism and cervical pain have an etiological relation – as seen in some case studies (for example, as reported in Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2003 (Jul); 26 (6): E16). In studies of cases reporting pain related to upper spine and headaches when accompanied by chronic Bruxism teeth grinding, it has been noted that there is a fair degree of possibility of the condition being brought on by a cervical dysfunction. 

Subsequent treatment targeting the cervical dysfunction was found to yield positive results of diminishing the teeth grinding symptoms. Such cases bring to light the fact that the possible association between cervical pain and Bruxism needs to be considered when dealing with Bruxism accompanied with pain.

Care needs to be taken though, that an examination at the hands of a specialist needs to be carried out before coming to any conclusions about the causal aspects of Bruxism teeth grinding. Bruxism is a multifactorial condition that is rarely attributed to a single cause. The condition therefore calls for a wide diagnostic view point and holistic solutions to the real causes of Bruxism teeth grinding.