Has your “main squeeze” been giving you fits? I think life is too short for such nonsense. Dump the migraines. Kick that TMJ pain to the curb. ‘Om’ away those tension headaches. Life goes by too fast to be dragged down by a pain in the…brain!
Thirty million people in the United States are plagued by migraines, according to the National Headache Foundation, and nine out of 10 of the rest of the population are affected by other sorts of headaches. Some headaches are seasonal, brought on by California’s blooming trees, grass fires, or mold linked to high humidity. In fact, 40 million Americans are affected by sinusitis, reports the Cleveland Clinic, a highly regarded research, treatment and teaching hospital.
Tracking Headache Triggers
When a patient comes into my Encino dental practice, complaining of headache, I have to look at the big picture. It’s important to identify the source of the pain and what triggers it, and then treat it. While the problem may lie in ill-fitting dentures or temporomandibular joint (TMJ) inflammation, the pain may also be linked to food allergies, hormones, alcohol use, medicinal side effects or a job with a high stress quota.
Headaches can just as easily be associated with something benign as chewing too much gum, going off caffeinated coffee cold turkey or embracing corn-on-the-cob season with too much vigor. These later examples may just require a little behavior modification. Other headaches may need more creative intervention to facilitate headache relief.
You can usually sort headaches into one of five types:
Five Headache Types
- Sinus headaches
- TMJ-linked headaches
- Migraine headaches
- Tension headaches
- Cluster headaches
Sinus headaches are marked by pain, pressure and swelling in the nasal cavities. Breathing through the nose may be difficult. Limiting exposure to allergens is key, as well as treatment with antihistamines, decongestants, antibiotics and over-the-counter analgesics.
TMJ headaches may be caused by teeth grinding, jaw joint malfunction, stress, uneven tooth surfaces, trauma, or overworked muscles from ice or fingernail chewing habits. I talk about this in depth on my website on the Joint (TMJ/TMD) Disorders page. Please review this information if you have tenderness in the temples or neck, popping or clicking in the jaw, or a jaw that locks.
There are numerous therapies for TMJ, including moist heat applications, analgesics, lifestyle changes, dental splints, braces, relaxation therapy, tooth resurfacing and other treatments. After a full diagnostic evaluation, we will design a rehabilitation plan that is unique for you. You will not find one-size-fits-all treatment in our office!
If I’ve ruled out a dental cause for your headaches, I might refer you to an allergist or your family doctor for a full workup, especially in cases of ongoing cluster headaches or severe migraines that bring on nausea, one-sided pain, extreme light sensitivity and visual anomalies. Migraines are a leading cause of absenteeism and lost productivity in the workplace, so for your well-being and job security, it’s really important to get to the bottom of all the pain.
According to the National Institutes of Health, pain in the workplace costs the economy an estimated $100 billion, and American workers lose 50 million workdays over the course of a year due to chronic pain, says the American Pain Foundation. If you have been missing work or social engagements because of headaches, email our office or give us a call at (818) 385-3681 to make an appointment. We would like to help.
Tip of the day: Do you suffer from headaches? Keep a health diary to track down personal headache triggers. Jot down your activities, meals, medications and stressors. You may see some patterns: too much coffee, a visit from the in-laws, sleep deprivation, a skipped yoga class, monthly hormonal fluctuations, or maybe you have indulged in too many boxes of chewy Cracker Jacks at weekend ballgames!
Best regards, AM
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Very informative. Before we can evaluate headaches we need to see at least a 4 to 8 week diary with as much info as possible about your headaches. This is the foundation for eradicating pesky headaches.