TMJ Headaches & Migraines

Dr. Shapira Headaches and Migraines, Unsorted 0 Comments

Suffer From Frequent Headaches and Migraines?

tmj-headaches-migraines-chicagoWhen chronic headaches are a part of your life, they can truly be a torment. Nothing can be more agonizing than a migraine that has you down for the count for days. No matter what kind of headache it is, it makes life difficult when it keeps coming back. Severe headaches stop you in your tracks, put your life on hold, and keep you from doing what you love to do. If you have been struggling with serious headaches for years and cannot find any relief, it is time you started looking in a new direction for the source of your headache pain. If you suffer from migraine headaches, migraines with aura, sinus headaches, or frontal, temporal, or occipital headaches, you could be dealing with a problem that originates in your jaw joint.

Headaches and migraines can result from a jaw joint disorder

The jaw endures a great deal of strain on a daily basis. It consists of an intricate system of nerves, muscles, ligaments, and bone. When everything is in order, it will work seamlessly, moving easily without a hitch. However, when there are problems with the temporomandibular joint, the hinge that connects both portions of your jaw, it can wreak havoc on your body. When your bite is misaligned, due to stress, an injury, or an abnormality with your jaw itself, it can cause strain and inflammation. The jaw joint and powerful muscles surrounding it can be affected. This can then put pressure on the muscles and nerves that affect the head. In addition to dealing with a sore jaw, stiff neck, and sore shoulders, pain can radiate to your head on a regular basis, forcing you to suffer from bouts of serious pain. Fortunately, there are solutions to jaw joint disorders. A dental solution could be a step in the right direction.

Dental solutions for TMJ headaches and migraines?

TMJ-occlusionIf you have tried every other solution for your chronic headaches and migraines without success, turn to physiologic dentistry to seek help from a different direction. If a misaligned bite is the source of the problem, we can assist you with a range of alternatives. Physiologic dentistry takes a ‘whole body’ approach to treating TMJ problems, and involves realigning the bite in order to properly position the jaw and surrounding muscles, which can ultimately relieve symptoms you may be experiencing in various parts of your body. The remedy may be as simple as wearing a mouth guard at night or an orthotic, a type of mouth splint, to shift your bite into proper alignment. In the event that more intervention is involved, we may recommend full mouth construction, modifying the teeth to create a proper bite. This may be possible through the use of crowns, bonding, or veneers in order to create ideal surfaces for your teeth or to fill any gaps that are causing a misalignment in your bite. When your bite is finally in alignment, your jaw will work properly as well, avoiding the strain that leads to headaches.

Stop the pounding

It’s time to get rid of those headaches once and for all. Set up a consultation with us to discuss the connection between your chronic headaches and a potential TMJ disorder.We will be able to perform a physical evaluation, a bite analysis, and take advantage of the latest in medical imaging. Through close study, we can pinpoint the problem in your jaw. We can then work together to choose a plan of action to address the imbalance in your jaw joint, you will finally be able to say goodbye to your headaches.