Millions of Americans suffer from intense migraines, which make it difficult for them to fulfill their daily responsibilities. While some experienced these debilitating headaches infrequently; others endure them on a daily basis. Recently, a group of researchers tested a popular over-the-counter supplement to see if it might help prevent or minimize migraine occurrence; and their results were promising.
Does Melatonin Help with Headaches?
To minimize migraine occurrence, many people take an antidepressant called amitriptyline. Unfortunately, this drug comes with some unpleasant side-effects, such as weight gain and daytime sleepiness. To test melatonin as a potential alternative to amitriptyline, a group of researchers recruited 178 migraine sufferers and split them into three groups.
The first group took melatonin over an 8-week period; while the second group took amitriptyline and the third, a placebo. Ultimately, melatonin didn’t just outperform placebos as a migraine preventative; it outperformed amitriptyline as well. Melatonin was also far better tolerated by subjects, who experienced fewer side-effects when compared to participants who took amitriptyline over the 8-week period.
Is Melatonin Good For Headaches and TMD Sufferers?
A debilitating condition that causes a variety of confusing symptoms, temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) often leaves sufferers with extremely painful headaches. Many times, people believe they’re suffering from migraines when they are actually enduring a common symptom of TMD. If TMD causes your frequent headaches, melatonin isn’t likely to have much of an effect, since it won’t impact the root cause of the problem: your misaligned bite. Although melatonin may prevent migraines, if your misaligned bite causes the migraines, it won’t help.
Can Melatonin Cause Headaches?
On the other hand, melatonin can actually cause headaches. If you started taking melatonin and you noticed you experienced more headaches or migraines since taking it, it’s likely caused by the melatonin.
How Do You Know Melatonin Doesn’t Help Migraines?
Most migraine sufferers experience visual disturbances at the onset of a headache. If you don’t notice bright lights, blurriness or any sort of aura; you may not be experiencing a traditional migraine headache. Additionally, if you experience headaches with jaw popping, jaw pain, facial tenderness, and chewing difficulties you may have temporomandibular joint disorder. The location of the migraine can really tell you a lot, like what causes it.
By evaluating your symptoms, we can help determine whether your headaches are migraines or a symptom of TMD. If you are suffering from TMD, our TMJ dentists can provide an effective treatment plan that will permanently eliminate your chronic headaches. To learn more, call our office at (912) 234-8282 today.
