How TMJ Causes Migraines and Jaw Pain
The TMJ is a complex joint, designed to move in many directions and work in concert with muscles from the head and neck. The TMJ is also very close to many vital systems, including blood vessels and nerves that feed into the brain.
One of these is the trigeminal nerve, which is known to be the trigger point for migraine headaches. When your jaw joint is out of balance, jaw muscles can irritate the trigeminal nerve, which can trigger migraines.
Another possible headache trigger is when tense jaw muscles put extra tension on the muscles they work with. This leads to a tension headache, the most common type of headache, which can range in severity from mild to intense. Tension headaches can also trigger migraines.
If you are experiencing chronic headaches or migraines, and you think they may be caused by TMJ disorder, contact us to schedule a consultation with our team.
How TMJ Treatment Can Help
Before and AfterNeuromuscular dentistry is the study of the jaw and how its dysfunction can impact the rest of the body. Our TMJ dentists and the rest of our dental team have helped many patients experience relief from migraine headaches.
We have not only diagnosed and treated migraine headaches, we have conducted research into the best practices and techniques. We have even trained other dentists in how to conduct this treatment. We begin with a scientific, objective diagnosis of your jaw joint conducted by our TMJ dentists. If we detect TMJ and can link it to your headaches, we will design a custom treatment plan for you.
Depending on the exact condition of your jaw joint and the nature of your headaches, treatment may include recommended lifestyle changes, electric muscle massages to relax your muscles, functional jaw orthopedics that hold your jaw in a more relaxing position, medication, orthodontics, or restorative dental procedures. We will then use Tekscan to verify that your new bite has balanced forces that won’t contribute to excessive tooth wear, jaw pain, or the return of your headaches.
Migraine headaches aren’t a mysterious curse. They are a medical condition that can be treated. You don’t have to live with migraine headaches. You also don’t have to wait until they start and rely on pain medication to try to function. Instead, you can reduce their frequency and severity.
If you live in Savannah, please call (912) 234-8282 or email Beyond Exceptional Dentistry today for the assistance of a neuromuscular dentist.
