Why Choose a Chiropractor for Chronic Headaches
Chronic headaches have the potential to take over your daily life. Instead of endless bottles of headache “remedies,” try chiropractic care to treat the causes at the sources of headache pain.
The Link Between Tension Headaches and Jaw Pain
Your jaw is the most mobile joint in the skull, and it’s quite flexible and reliable, assisting with both speech and eating. The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) combines both hingelike and sliding motions to accomplish its roles.
The TMJ is part of the complex anatomy of your face, a network of bones, muscles, and nerves that interact closely. When things go wrong with the TMJ, you may suffer from tension headaches as a result.
The team at Active Care Chiropractic & Rehabilitation in Lafayette Hill, the Main Line, East Falls, Elkins Park, Manayunk and Hatfield, Pennsylvania, consists of headache and migraine specialists, and we know when to look at the TMJ when you’re suffering from unexplained tension headaches.
How the jaw can cause headaches
While the TMJ has disorders all its own, it can also be the source of headache pain. Some of the connections include:
- Muscle strain: from misalignment of the TMJ itself
- Nerve pain and inflammation
- Referred pain: when pain is felt somewhere other than the active nerve irritation
- Bruxism: chronic teeth grinding during the day or overnight
The jaw can be the source of tension headaches even if the TMJ itself displays no symptoms.
Recognizing the link
Tension headaches are the most common form of headache and they have a wide range of originating causes. Connecting headaches with jaw problems can sometimes be tricky. Be on the lookout for these signs:
- Headaches upon waking, a possible symptom of overnight bruxism
- Pain originating along the jawline, near the ears, or in the temples
- Headaches that occur with jaw clicking or locking
- Worn, flat teeth, a sign of chronic bruxism
- Headaches that get worse when moving your jaw
- Symptoms of dental occlusion
When you have jaw pain and headaches simultaneously, there may be a connection, even if they seem like separate problems.
Treating jaw problems that cause tension headaches
While you may not think of the jaw as a joint that can be treated through chiropractic care, gentle adjustments of the jaw and upper spine can sometimes have dramatic results at relieving headache and jaw pain.
We also offer targeted soft tissue therapy including massage and trigger point therapy to release tight muscles that could contribute to TMJ alignment problems. Ergonomic and postural counseling may help you avoid further TMJ and tension headache problems in the future.
Learn more by visiting the team at Active Care Chiropractic & Rehabilitation led by Zachary Dillow, DC. Contact our nearest location online or by phone today.
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