How Can a Dentist Help Me with Migraines?

    /24-7PressRelease/ - DALLAS, TX, February 02, 2008 - An estimated 45 million people suffer from chronic headaches in the United States. Nearly half of these Americans experience headaches so strong, they are disabling. In fact, studies show migraine sufferers lose about 20 days of work per year in absenteeism and reduced productivity. The results are costly--an average of 4000 USD per year per sufferer for employers, not to mention the financial burden of countless doctors' visits and medication for the employee.

Pinpointing the Cause

Until recently, the medical field couldn't always pinpoint the cause of these migraines. Like many illnesses, it was treated based only on symptoms, not on objective evaluation. Now, thousands of people receive relief from their symptoms through the field of neuromuscular dentistry. Advancements in neuromuscular dentistry have helped those suffering from:

· Headaches and migraines
· Chronic neck and shoulder pain
· Numbness in the arms
· Jaw pain, clicking and popping
· Ringing in the ears

Many patients who suffer from one or more of these symptoms have obtained no relieve because of improper diagnosis or the belief that there is no physiological cause for their problem. However, neuromuscular dentistry can help relieve headache and migraine pain.

Misaligned Bite

Often times, tension headaches are the result of a bad bite. This means your lower and upper teeth are unable to come together naturally and your jaw muscles are constantly straining when you bite down. This continual muscle contraction tension leads to severe headaches—sometimes so common that they are misdiagnosed as migraines.

As long as you have a bad bite, these headaches will continue. However, a Dr. Alhadef can help alleviate your symptoms by figuring out the some relaxed position for your jaw by assessing your head, neck and jaw muscles. He can tell if your migraines are caused by a bad bite and can stabilize it with removable dental orthodontics.

Finding Relief

Moderately misaligned bites can be corrected through Coronoplasty—a procedure where your tooth's enamel is smoothed and reshaped, or the addition of dental crowns to build up worn teeth. Severe, long-term treatments may include orthodontics or reconstructive surgery.

If you are experiencing persistent headaches or migraines and would like to evaluate the true cause, contact the office of local neuromuscular dentist, such as Dr. Gary Alhadef in the Dallas, Texas, area.

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