Car crashes are incredibly traumatic, as they have the potential for causing a variety of severe injuries to different parts of the body. While we often hear about broken bones, brain injuries and spinal cord damage, we may not hear as much about the symptoms that can accompany these and other injuries. For example, jaw and ear pain after a crash should not be ignored.
Below, we discuss why your jaw and/or ears may be hurting after an auto accident. You could be developing temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ) or whiplash or have suffered a skull fracture.
If you were injured in a car crash and have jaw or ear pain or other injury symptoms, we may be able to help you seek compensation for your damages. It is not too soon to give us a call to learn how we may be able to help. It takes time to build a strong case, so it is important to contact a lawyer as soon as possible.
Schmidt Kramer’s Harrisburg car crash attorneys operate on a contingency fee basis, which means no upfront fees. The initial consultation is also free of charge.
Jaw Pain After a Car Accident
Your jaw is the only part of your skull that can move. It is larger than many people realize, as the hinge is in front of your ear. Your jaw has a broad range of motion that allows it to exert significant force when you bite and chew on things.
Unfortunately, the versatility of your jaw makes it delicate and prone to injury, particularly when your jaw is under significant stress. For example, your jaw may be more prone to injury in a car crash because your head could hit something, like the window, dashboard or airbag. Even if your head does not hit something, it could get violently shaken back and forth, potentially causing a neck injury, like whiplash.
If muscles and/or ligaments in your jaw suffer damage, which may happen if your neck or skull got hit during the crash, you may develop TMJ disorder. There are various symptoms that may indicate TMJ disorder:
- Pain when chewing food
- Pain around your ear or in your ear
- Tenderness or aching in your jaw
- Throbbing pain in your face
- Ringing in your ears
- Feeling like your jaw is locked and you cannot open it
- Popping in your ears
One of the biggest problems with TMJ symptoms is they often will not resolve themselves on their own. You still need to use your jaw to talk and eat.
Another factor to consider is that TMJ symptoms could indicate you suffered serious damage to your skull or have a traumatic brain injury. Your symptoms should not be ignored – you need to seek treatment immediately to deal with any serious injuries and to try to prevent your jaw from getting worse.
Jaw pain could greatly impact your quality of life, making it hard to eat, drink and sleep. Sometimes medications prescribed for TMJ could make it harder for you to focus on tasks. Your jaw could lose strength and flexibility, and if this happens you may need to work with a physical therapist to get your jaw back to the way it was before the crash. This can all be mentally and emotionally draining for the victim.
Doctors can diagnose TMJ with imaging tests, like MRIs and X-rays. They may also do an examination of your head and jaw joint or a bite alignment evaluation.
There are various therapies doctors may use to treat your symptoms, including prescribing anti-inflammatory medications, the use of a mouthguard and massaging the jaw muscles. Sometimes surgery may be necessary, but this is only needed in severe cases.
Ear Pain After a Car Accident
Your inner ear is a complex body part, and it is fragile. Force from a blow to the head could cause an injury to the ear. Some of the symptoms of an ear injury may include:
- Ringing
- Dizziness
- Feeling nauseous
- Having trouble hearing things
- Feeling like your ear is clogged
- Discharge of fluid or blood from the ear
Sometimes ear pain is caused by a whiplash injury or a serious head injury. This could be especially true if you suffered a fractured skull or spinal cord injury and if you have blood or fluid coming out of your ear.
Ear pain after a car accident should not be taken lightly, nor should any injury symptoms after a car crash be taken lightly. You never know when you may have a serious injury and if you let an injury go untreated, it could become much worse.
Contact Schmidt Kramer After a Car Crash
There is no reason to go through the legal process alone. Our experienced attorneys can deal with the insurance company and the other aspects of the legal process on your behalf. You can focus on your medical treatment and recovery.
It is also important to remember the attorneys at Schmidt Kramer work on contingency, which means there are no upfront fees for our services. We are not paid unless our clients get paid.
Free consultation. Call today: (717) 727-1403.