subject: This Dental Problem Can Cause A Headache? [print this page] The thought of a headache for some is the worst kind of punishment ever. Many people have serious and debilitating head pain that limits their lives, not to mention causes the greatest and most intense pain you could imagine. A lot of these head pains are due to a condition called TMJ, jaw joint dysfunction.
The most common kinds of headaches are those caused from TMJ, jaw joint dysfunction. This is a scientifically proven cause of severe headaches. While many doctors are skeptical of this cause, for even migraines, there is evidence to support it.
When you visit your dentist for help in getting rid of your head pain, he or she may ask that you write a lot of pertinent information into a daily journal. This information will include the kinds of food that you eat each day, the beverages that you drink, the amount of sleep you are getting, and what types of environmental exposure you have. In being able to look through these entries, your doctor may be able to see a pattern of the very cause of your head pains. It will most likely be recommended that you have a transcranial x-ray that will allow your dentist to see the part of the jaw that that is affected from a TMJ disorder.
A lot of people cringe at the thought of a migraine. This is the headache that will literally knock you off your feet and is primarily caused from the side effects of a TMJ disorder. So much so that you will be in bed, telling your entire family to be quiet and keep the light in that room off. The least amount of light in your eyes or the smallest and softest sounds can cause a migraine to increase in the levels of pain it causes. If you have this kind of headache pain, you need to visit your doctor.
When the blood vessels in and around your brain constrict, you are going to experience pain in your head. The brain is actually numb, but the vessels running through it are highly sensitive to pain. Your jawbone bangs the bottom side of your skull hundreds and hundreds a time a day. Think about what that can do those same vessels. Learning the things that cause this constriction is an important step in stopping headaches due to it. Some foods, like those that are salty, should be avoided. Extreme exposure to the cold or to high heat can cause your blood vessels to constrict.
If you feel like you have been feeling depressed for too long of a time, then you may be also suffering with headaches because of it. You need to talk to your doctor about both. If your headaches continue even while you are taking an antidepressant, it may be a side effect of that medication. Talking to your doctor about all the things going on with you will help in treating depression and the head pain that sometimes comes with it.
Stress can be blamed for many medical conditions, some of which are life threatening. Everyone, especially those that have a lot of headaches, needs to find ways to deal with their stress. Finding a quiet place to go to everyday to reflect or exercising to your favorite music are healthy ways to relieve stress. If you have TMJ, it can be worsened by gritting your teeth together when you are under pressure. You may not even realize that you are doing it.
Taking the time to get to the bottom of the reasons you are suffering with a headache every day or so is important. If you have not had a diagnosis that leads to TMJ, you may want to check out this site http://hubpages.com/hub/tmjtoronto to learn more about dental headache treatment. If you do have a TMJ disorder, you can have structural dental work done to fix the problem.