Migraine and Headache Treatment in Southlake, TX

Nearly 40% of people with TMJ also experience migraines. Migraines are much more severe than a traditional headache and are usually accompanied by painful TMJ symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, aura, light and sound sensitivity, and throbbing pain.

The link between migraines and TMJ is still somewhat unknown. Some migraines are connected to overstressed or overactive jaw muscles. This type of migraine occurs because the trigeminal nerve (the nerve that triggers migraines) has branches located near the jaw. When the muscles become too tense or overactive, they can affect this nerve and trigger a migraine.

The trigeminal nerve is often considered the central trigger point of migraines. It controls the jaw muscles and also receives pain signals. When jaw muscles become overstimulated, the nerve can release calcitonin gene-related proteins (CGRP), which are known to trigger migraines and other pain conditions. With proper TMJ treatment, the muscles relax, which helps prevent overstimulation of the nerve and reduces the likelihood of CGRP release. This may not only prevent migraines but also ease other painful TMJ symptoms.

Another common type of headache associated with TMJ disorders is tension headaches. Sore, tense muscles cause tension headaches. Most people with TMJ experience some level of muscle tension in the jaw. Once the tension occurs, it can spread up to the temples and cause a headache behind the eyes. The jaw muscles are the largest muscles in the head, and when they become tense, they can easily transfer the tension to muscles elsewhere in the head like over the neck or the back of the skull. Treating TMJ and relieving muscle tension can prevent tension headaches.

The last most common headache associated with TMJ is referred pain headaches. Referred pain is pain felt in a different area of the body than the source of the pain. Referred pain occurs when the brain misinterprets the source of pain so it sends the pain to the wrong area of the body. Most people who experience referred headaches from TMJ usually have headaches for other reasons before TMJ developed.

If you experience headaches frequently, you might benefit from TMJ treatment. We first recommend getting a TMJ diagnosis from our TMJ dentist, Dr. Green, in Southlake, TX. If Dr. Green determines that you have TMJ, he will create a custom treatment plan to treat your problem. After a few weeks of treatment, most patients notice a difference in their frequency of headaches and migraines.

We highly encourage people to get checked for TMJ if they suffer from frequent headaches and migraines or have a current headache or migraine treatment plan that doesn’t work as well as they would like.