Headache and Migraine Treatments

in Cedar Rapids and Marion, Iowa

Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) is a condition in which your bite becomes misaligned, causing many serious painful health problems. Sometimes the acronym TMJ will be used interchangeably with TMD, but TMJ actually stands for temporomandibular joint. Neuromuscular dentistry differs from traditional dentistry in that neuromuscular dentists are trained in proper alignment of the jaw in relation to the muscles that control its function.

TMD Symptoms

One of the most painful and debilitating symptoms of TMD is severe headache, often described as a "migraine" headache. TMD causes headaches because the trigeminal nerve is one of the most complex and powerful nerves in the entire human body. This nerve is completely responsible for the temporomandibular joint and tooth functions and accounts for more than 40% of the brain's processing. The trigeminal nerve has three branches, all affecting various parts of the face, head, shoulders and arms. Because of the trigeminal nerve's far-reaching power, the pain and muscle tightness associated with TMD can even affect your hands and fingers.

Pain related to TMD may be sharp and searing or dull and constant. Pain is typically right over the joint immediately in front of the ear but can radiate elsewhere and cause spasms in the muscles attached to the bones of the skull, face and jaw. Some of the most notable symptoms of TMD besides headache are:

• Tooth grinding (bruxism)
• Facial pain and soreness
• Neck soreness and pain
• Clicking and popping noises of the jaw
• Locking of the jaw
• Uneven and excessive tooth wear
• Ear pain

Stiff, tight or painful jaw muscles

Often times, patients see doctors for their severe headaches and are given medications to treat the pain of the headache; however, there is often no treatment provided for what is actually causing the headache. Neuromuscular dentistry is the specialized area of dentistry that treats the cause, not just the symptoms, of the painful headaches associated with a misaligned jaw.

TMD- Related Headache Treatment

There are numerous treatment options available for TMD, and your treatment plan will depend on your individual set of symptoms and evaluation. The goal of TMD treatment is to minimize pain and establish a return to function by allowing the muscles and joints to heal through rest and care. Damage to the TMJ cannot be reversed, but the body can often heal it enough to return to normal function without pain.

The following treatment options may be offered:

• Jaw rest to allow time to heal. You cannot chew gum, bite your nails, chew on hard objects like pencils or clench your teeth. Your diet should be fairly soft, and avoid chewy and crunchy foods during jaw rest treatment.
• Occlusal splints (also called a mouth piece, appliance or night guard) are designed to protect the teeth from further wear and to reduce the severity of grinding at night and allow the muscles to rest. In very severe cases, the splint may need to be worn during the day, also.
• Medication for pain and inflammation may be prescribed; a muscle relaxant may also be prescribed.
• Moist heat is often helpful for the jaw's sore muscles. Moist heat promotes blood flow into the muscle which aids in healing and relaxation of the muscle as well.
• Exercises and physical therapy can help relax the muscles and increase joint flexibility.
• Occlusal adjustment (to fix bite problems) may be necessary and can be achieved through a minor reshaping of the teeth.