Question
I am hoping you can help...I am 24 and have been having symptoms that many doctors/dentists/and chiropractors have not been able to answer. I have constant pressure in my head, especially in my checks and I am unable to relax my face muscles even though I am aware that they are constantly tense.  My jaw and ears pop when I move them around (which I do all day long in attempt to de-pressurize my head).  The chiropractor says I have TMJ and loss of a curve in my neck which has given me arthritis.  It is almost as if there is a blockage at the base of my skull and top my my neck which doesn't allow pressure to pass through and it gets trapped in my head causing the other symptoms.  Any ideas of where to go next are greatly appreciated as this causes me daily pain and uncomfortableness.  Thank you very much!

Answer
Thank you for the question. The symptoms you are describing are related to the brain stem. For example the 7th cranial nerve controls the movement of you facial muscles. TMJ problems often originate from the 5th cranial nerve which has a muscle component that controls the muscles of the jaw. Sensations of pressure or headache can often result from a misalignment in the upper neck.

I had a case not long ago where the patient was looking into a dental procedure to grind down her teeth because they did not line up properly. This patient came in for headaches however when we did the exam we found she had a misalignment in her upper neck causing irritation at the brain stem level. When we corrected the upper cervical misalignment and removed the irritation at the brain stem level, the headaches went away and the jaw realigned on it's own. The patient was very happy as the headaches were gone and the expensive dental procedure was no longer needed.

It sounds as though you might have an Upper Cervical Misalignment, causing irritation at the brainstem level. I would recommend scheduling an examination with a Upper Cervical Doctor someone who specializes in this area. www.uppercervicalcare.com, www.kcucs.org, www.upcspine.com.