Do you suffer from chronic headaches or migraines? If so, they could be coming from a completely unexpected source – your jaw. Jaw disorders known as temporomandibular disorders, or TMD, are common causes of otherwise unexplained headaches. TMD affects the temporal mandibular joint, or TMJ. The TMJ is the joint where the skull connects with the slower jaw. Disorders affecting this joint can cause numerous symptoms including pain and headaches.
What is TMD?
TMD refers to disorders affecting the jaw, jaw joint and surrounding muscles that control jaw movement and chewing. These disorders commonly lead to joint pain, clicking, headaches, bite issues, popping and grinding of the teeth.
What Causes TMD?
The exact cause for TMD is unclear, but experts agree that the symptoms originate from problems with the jaw joint or muscles. The most common causes include injury to this region. TMD can also be caused by clenching or grinding of the teeth, dislocation of the soft cushion between the ball and socket in the joint, osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis in the jaw and stress.
What Are the Symptoms of TMD?
The most common symptoms of TMD include pain and severe discomfort in the face, jaw area, neck and shoulders. You may also experience ear pain when your mouth is open wide. The pain very commonly manifests as headaches or migraines. Other symptoms include swelling of the face, difficulty chewing, clicking or popping sounds when opening or closing the mouth, limited ability to open your mouth or jaws that get stuck open or closed.
Why Does TMD Cause Headaches?
When disorders affect the jaw, they often cause an improper alignment of the jaw and teeth. Intense pain often occurs because the misalignment causes displacement of the cartilage of the lower jaw and places intense pressure on the nerves. In time, the structure of the jaw itself can be damaged, leading to more intensified pain. This can turn into a headache affecting the entire head and neck region, or it may be focused in the temples, behind the eyes, at the back of the head or around the jaws and ears.
If you have chronic headaches or migraines, and they have not responded well to treatment, there is a chance they could be being caused by TMD. TMD is a very common problem that affects an estimated 25% of the U.S. Population. In many cases, the disorder goes undiagnosed because the symptoms are similar to other conditions, such as migraine disorders. If you think TMD could be to blame for your frequent headaches, contact us today. We offer a free consultation during which we will evaluate your specific situation and help you find the best solution to your problem.
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