Do you suffer from migraine headaches? There are many different causes of migraine headaches. Stress and incorrect bite relationships can cause or contribute to migraine and other facial pains Stress takes a toll on your body in many ways, and two of the most common physical reactions to stress are clenching the jaws and grinding teeth. If you do these two things, you are putting strain on your facial muscles causing them to become fatigued and this, in turn, can lead to facial pain and migraine headaches.
Your Temporomandibular Joints (TMJ) allow you to move your lower jaw side to side, up and down, and back and forth. Stress and poor bite relationships can severely affect the functionality of your TMJ and can even limit how wide you can open your mouth. Other TMJ symptoms that can be caused by stress and poor bite relationships include :
• Popping and clicking of the jaw
• Face, neck, and shoulder pain
• Migraine and tension headaches
• Limited jaw movement
• Ringing in the ears and ear pain
Treating Stress to Relieve TMJ Symptoms
There are many TMJ Dysfunction symptoms and their causes that can be treated with the help of Phoenix neuromuscular dentists Dr. Scott LeSueur and Dr. Charles Dodaro. Both of our LVI-trained neuromuscular dentists who focus on treating the cause of TMJ Dysfunction symptoms rather than merely treating the symptoms themselves. This approach is the only way to achieve permanent relief from TMJ pain and discomfort.
Dr. LeSueur and Dr. Dodaro will create a personalized treatment plan to meet your specific needs. You may need one or a combination of treatments to correct your TMJ Dysfunction symptoms. Treatments for TMJ include :
• Correcting your jaw alignment so that teeth come together comfortably
• Using a TENS unit to relax your facial muscles and allow the bite to be repositioned
• Using facial exercises to relieve muscle fatigue and strain
• Practicing relaxation techniques to control stress
• Using an oral therapy mouthpiece to relax your jaws and reposition the bite
• Applying cold packs and warm compresses to your TMJ and sometimes using medications
If you live in the Phoenix area and suffer from stress related migraines or facial or ear pain and think you may have a bite or other dental problem causing these pains , please contact Dr. LeSueur and Dr. Dodaro at their Arizona neuromuscular dentistry practice.