Are you struggling with frequent headaches? Are they most commonly occurring when you wake up in the morning? This could be a sign of a TMJ disorder. TMJ disorders can cause headaches, migraines, and pain and tension throughout your facial area.
Dr. Drew Shulman has experience treating chronic headaches in the Northeast Philadelphia region. Our treatment for frequent headaches will include a TMJ disorder evaluation. TMJ disorders cause chronic jaw pain, and are the leading cause of frequent headaches. Our dental office provides personalized treatment plans to make sure you’re getting the right treatment every time.
Headaches and TMJ Disorders in Northeast Philadelphia
TMJ disorders, chronic migraines, and headache pain go hand in hand. TMJ disorders will increase the frequency of your headaches, and make it more likely for your headaches to turn into full-on migraines. We can help you figure out if your chronic headaches are because of this oral health problem.
One of the main causes of TMJ disorders is teeth grinding, also known as bruxism. Teeth grinding commonly occurs while you’re sleeping, or subconsciously throughout the day, without you realizing it. The pressure you create while clenching or grinding your teeth together impacts the muscles throughout your face and head. The constant stress on the muscles causes headaches upon waking up in the morning.
But TMJ disorders don’t just cause headaches. These common symptoms may also be signs that you have a TMJ disorder:
- Soreness in the jaw
- Pain in your ears or neck
- Muscle spasms
- Clicking and popping sounds when you use your jaw
- Locking of the jaw
- Limitations in using your lower jaw
- Broken or extremely worn teeth
If you’re experiencing one or more of these symptoms along with your headaches, an oral health issue is causing you pain. Call our office to schedule a consultation for TMJ and frequent headaches. We can develop a personalized treatment plan for your TMJ problems, help you prevent future migraines and relieve pain.
Treating TMJ Disorders
TMJ disorders stem from things like clenching and grinding your teeth, stress, or an uneven bite. We’ll start by evaluating your condition and determining the root cause of your TMJ disorder. This helps to make sure we’re treating the core problem and not just taking care of the symptoms it causes.
Sometimes, simple lifestyle changes are all that a patient needs to help with TMJ disorders. Various exercises and relaxation techniques can help you relax the muscles throughout your face and alleviate pain. However, a more severe case will require different treatment so that the disorder doesn’t cause permanent damage.
We can perform a professional bite analysis to determine if your bite is uneven. The results will tell us where the imbalances are and identify the source of the problem. Typically, you can use oral appliance therapy to alleviate your symptoms and for treating headaches. However, your specific treatment options will depend on the source of your headaches.
In our office, we use the NTI-tss Plus™. It goes over your front teeth and is small and comfortable to wear while you’re sleeping. The device reduces muscle contractions in your head and face to help alleviate pain. It also keeps your back teeth from touching to eliminate clenching while you’re sleeping.
In severe cases, a patient may require surgery. This is only necessary if you have severe permanent damage, have jaw deformities, or chronic pain.
Get Relief From Your Headaches at Our Office
Constant headaches can be extremely debilitating and impact your quality of life. Get the relief you need at Dr. Drew Shulman’s restorative dental office. Call us at (215) 372-1142 or schedule an appointment online today.