Migraine headaches can leave you feeling incapable of doing anything.
The pain makes other things — everyday sounds, light — practically unbearable. Migraines can make you feel nauseous or lightheaded, and they can affect your vision as well.
If migraine headaches have become too common in your life, we encourage you to seek treatment right away.
Your migraines may be a symptom of a TMJ disorder. If they are, then Beaumont Family Dentistry in Lexington can help with TruDenta® therapy. Our approach is to treat the cause of your migraines at the source to give you long-term relief from your pain.
How your jaw can cause your headache
If your headaches are a result of a TMJ disorder (also referred to as a TMD), than means your problem starts with your temporomandibular joint.
This joint is essential to our daily lives. It is a ball-and-socket joint that connects our jawbone to our skull. It allows us to open and close our mouths and move our jaws from side-to-side. We use it to eat and to speak every day.
TMJ disorders arise from problems with this joint, and those problems can cause a numbers of symptoms, including your migraine headaches.
You should be aware that migraines can be symptoms of multiple conditions. With that in mind, you may want to ask if you are experiencing some other TMJ disorder symptoms, such as:
- Pain in your jaw, face, neck, or shoulders
- Limited range of motion in your jaw
- A jaw that becomes stuck (in an open or closed position)
- Discomfort or pain while you are chewing food or after you have finished a meal
- Swelling on the side of your face
- Clicking or popping sounds when you move your jaw
You should definitely come talk to us if you are experiencing any of these symptoms (or more than one) in addition to your migraines. We can give you an evaluation to determine if you have a TMJ disorder. If you do, our treatment can alleviate your TMJ problem and your migraines.
TruDenta® and TMJ
TruDenta® is a comprehensive therapy system. We use a four-stage approach to attack your TMJ problem at its source to give you the relief you have been seeking.
We begin by conducting an evaluation to assess your bite force and your range of motion. By understanding the condition of your jaw, we can provide the best migraine treatment for you.
During the first stage, you will come to our office once a week. Each therapy session lasts about an hour, and this stage lasts eight to 12 weeks.
Our goal in this stage it to relax the muscles in your face and jaw. Electrostimulation, manual muscle therapy, and ultrasound therapy are part of this phase of your treatment.
Electrostimulation is used to stimulate the nerves in and around your jaw. This can reduce spasms in your facial muscles and reduce lactic acid buildup in this area.
Muscle therapy is used to reduce muscle tension, and it prepares your muscles for rehabilitation. Ultrasound therapy is intended to break up scar tissue and to improve the circulation in and around your jaw.
The second stage of your migraine treatment is done at home. This also lasts eight to 12 weeks. You may be using cold packs, lotions, medications, and relaxation techniques (among other things) to continue your progress.
During the third stage, we design a custom-fitted mouthpiece that you wear overnight.
One of the common causes of TMJ problems is clenching or grinding your teeth. Many people with TMJ issues (and migraines) do this while they sleep. This mouthguard prevents the grinding from happening so you don’t start your day with another headache.
The final stage is what we call force balancing. (No, it doesn’t have anything to do with Star Wars.)
During this therapy, we look closely at the forces on your jaw. If you are receiving more stress on your joint from a particular direction, we work to alleviate that stress. We do this by correcting the forces affecting your jaw, so those forces are more equal from all directions.
Ending your pain
You shouldn’t feel like you have to lock yourself in your bedroom with the lights off just to get through the day.Migraine headaches take you away from time with your family, and they can have a harmful effect on your ability to work.
Proper TMJ treatment can end your migraine headaches and decrease the likelihood that they will return.
Get relief by contacting any Beaumont Family Dentistry office in Lexington or by filling out our online form to make an appointment to start your TruDenta® therapy.