Chronic Headaches, Neck Pain? The Cause May Be TMD

A recent survey shows that people often live with painful symptoms, such as headache, neck pain and popping of their jaw, despite seeking medical attention from physicians, neurologists and chiropractors.

A typical case is Julie Bush, a professional photographer living near Toledo, Ohio. For seven years she had migraines and facial pain, and her jaw popped when she chewed. Some days her headaches were so intense she couldn’t work. Painkillers and ice packs applied to her face did not alleviate her pain. “I was a closed-mouth smiler,” she said, adding that “In my business, smiling confidently couldn’t be more important.”

Eventually, she discussed the symptoms with a neuromuscular dentist. After an initial examination, she was fitted with an orthotic and “My headaches were gone right way.”

“Line up your jaw–it completely makes sense,” Bush said. She was fitted with crowns and veneers so her jaw would remain in the optimal position determined by her neuromuscular dentist. Her jaw no longer pops and she has no facial pain.

“Now I have a bright smile, which I show to everyone,” she said. “It’s amazing.”

Headache A Major Symptom

A national survey of neuromuscular dentists shows that the No. 1 symptom their patients suffer from is headaches at 75 percent, including migraines. This is followed by jaw joint pain at 20 percent. Other common symptoms include neck and shoulder pain and ringing in the ears. Sufferers commonly miss work due to the level of pain.

“Interestingly, less than 5 percent of the dentists in the world are trained in neuromuscular dentistry,” said Dr. Bill Dickerson, president of LVI Global in Las Vegas, Nev. Dentists from all over the world attend LVI to learn neuromuscular dentistry.

How TMD Is Treated

After a thorough examination, including a pain-free electronic analysis of the muscles of the jaw, specially trained neuromuscular dentists perform a workup and show the patient how treatment will change the bite and alleviate pain. The neuromuscular dentist then uses a variety of techniques to relax the jaw and find the optimal position. From there an orthotic, much like a mouth guard used by athletes, is made and used to temporarily maintain the optimal position until patients can be fitted with permanent crowns and veneers.

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Jaw pain starts fresh talk

Norma Pelt has paid a high price for her love of gum. Repetitive chewing triggered powerful headaches, especially at night.

“It’s been very painful,” she said, describing her 15-year condition as a temporomandibular joint and muscle disorder.

The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research estimates 10 million Americans have TMJ symptoms, such restricted jaw movement accompanied by a clicking or popping sound.

Women in their reproductive years are now considered nine times more likely to develop TMJ than men - a finding reshaping traditional assumptions about the causes behind these conditions, according to Dr. Christian Stohler, dean of the University of Maryland Dental School in Baltimore.

“Today, we realize this is a highly complex disease involving many genes, hormones and a myriad of complex biologic factors,” he said.

Although a number of existing treatments bring relief for most patients, Stohler says, they do not deal with the underlying disease process

“Most of these cases do resolve on their own, but some people suffer for years,” he said.

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