Dr. Firouzian: Headaches and TMJ

Dr. Firouzian: Headaches and TMJ

Dr. Firouzian: Headaches and TMJ

Headaches are some of the most frustrating medical problems to diagnose and treat. Most people experience headaches at some point in their life and many experience chronic debilitating headaches that seem to defy treatment. Although headaches may point to serious medical conditions, they are also one of the leading symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorder or TMJ, which are the joints of your jaw.

Headaches and TMJ are closely linked because the trigeminal nerve, which enervates most of your face and head, passes through this area of your jaw. Neuromuscular dentists are specially trained to diagnose and treat headaches caused by problems with your TMJ. This is commonly called temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMD.

Headaches are commonly just that, headaches, which may not be related to other medical problems. When headaches are a sign or symptom of other underlying medical problems they are known as secondary headaches. When trying to isolate secondary headaches as they relate to TMD, your neuromuscular dentist may also look for other signs and symptoms of TMD, including:

Pain of the jaw muscles

Locking or clicking noises

Facial, neck, or shoulder pain

Tinnitus or ringing of the ears

Just because your headaches occur in conjunction with these problems does not necessarily mean they are related, but chances are better that TMJ may be the culprit. TMJ disorders are related to stress on the TMJ because of a misalignment of one or both jaw joints. This misalignment can put stress on one or both jaw joints. By returning the jaw to its proper alignment, the neuromuscular dentist may be able to address all the symptoms related to TMJ disorders.

In general, your dentist will try the most conservative treatment options first, basically in an attempt to reverse the conditions that are causing the misalignment of your jaw. These may be things as simple as changing your diet to softer foods until the pain subsides. You may also be retrained in your eating habits or given simple exercises to strengthen your jaw muscles.

In cases where the misalignment is caused by a malocclusion, or a bad bite between your upper and lower jaws, treatments like Invisalign orthodontia, tooth extraction, or dental restorations like dental crowns may be tried. In the most severe cases, surgery of the jaw or the TMJ itself may be considered.

The primary goal is to restore your jaw to proper alignment. Once that is done, most of the symptoms associated with TMJ should be relieved, including recurring headaches. If your headaches continue after treatment by a neuromuscular dentist, you should seek further medical attention to ensure that there is no other serious condition causing your headaches.

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