How do I know if my headaches could be caused by my tmj?

There are two quick, easy ways to know if your headaches are caused by muscle pain around the TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint):

The first way to tell is if many mornings you wake up with a headache. This indicates that you are clenching or grinding your teeth during the night and putting destructive stress on the joint. Often, an uncomplicated bite guard—to be worn during sleeping—can greatly reduce or completely eliminate the headaches. Once the headaches are much better, other tests should be done to determine the exact reason the grinding is causing the headaches.

The second way to tell is if you have been diagnosed with migraine headaches or many physicians can not find an exact cause of your headaches and you have had MRIs, migraine medication, acupuncture, or other pain relieving therapies (excluding opioids), but nothing reliably gets rid of the headache. In this case, the headache pain is most likely caused by the TMJ in front of the ear and affecting muscles of the head.

The dentists at Gordon Center for General & Advanced Dentistry know the most up-to-date TMJ treatments and can help you feel better quickly. We also refer to the top experts if a case is extremely advanced. Click here or call 301-258-1998 to schedule your appointment now.