[Significance of the upper neck joints in the etiology of pain in the head and neck area]

Abstract

The function of the atlantooccipital joints is intimately connected with the function of the spine in total and the temporomandibular joint in special. The present investigation gives report of the frequent combination of headache, facial pain and pain in the temporomandibular joint, which could be found in patients of an orthopedic practice. The role of the atlantooccipital joints is stressed in a special manner and explained with the function of the arthromuscular control loop.