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There
are approximately 50,000,000 headache sufferers in the United
States, and of those headaches 90% are muscle-tension type headaches
as opposed to true migraines. A good number or these occur in
the temple and facial region and as a dentist specially trained
and certified in TMJ/Orofacial pain diagnosis and treatment, I
am in a good position to help these sufferers. Often people with
headaches do not know where to turn for relief after their physicians
have ruled out the various organic causes of the headache. They
continue to suffer and miss workdays.
What
are the symptoms of TMJ/Dental headaches? While there is never
any hard and fast rule that applies to everybody, generally this
type of headache has the feeling of a tension type headache with
a dull steady pain usually felt at the top of the head, behind
the eyes or in the temples. Occasionally, an earache can accompany
this headache.
Interestingly
enough, new research into headaches reveals that due to the interconnections
in the nervous system that supplies the head, face, and tissue
that surrounds the brain, a tension type or muscular headache
can trigger a migraine.
It
is extremely important when dealing with headaches, to have a
qualified physician rule out any organic pathology in headaches
that have a sudden and severe onset, "thunderclap" headache, or
any headache that exhibits any of the following characteristics:
-
Abrupt onset that rapidly progresses in seconds to minutes.
- Accompaniments,
such as nausea, vomiting, fever, stiff neck, mental confusion.
- Any
continuing, persistent or progressive pattern.
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