TMJ and Headache Therapy
Amarillo, Texas
Serving Amarillo, Texas and the Tri-State Area
Over ten million people nationwide suffer from the effects of temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ / TMD). If this number sounds too large or unbelievable, that’s because the vast majority of the people who are afflicted with TMJ aren’t even aware that they have it.
TMJ occurs when your jaw’s delicate ball-and-socket joint is out of alignment. This throws your bite off, and the resulting malocclusion can cause a wide range of symptoms that affects your entire body. Chronic, migraine-like headaches are the most common and painful symptom of TMJ, but others include:
- Jaw clicking and popping
- Tinnitus (ringing in your ears)
- Sore or stiff muscles in your neck, back, and shoulders
- Dizziness (vertigo)
- Sinus issues
How TMJ Causes Headaches
Your jaw joints are connected with the nerves, muscles, and tendons of your face, neck, and back. If a joint is misaligned, all of the tissues associated with it will be displaced as well, resulting in tension and muscle stress. Even when you are at rest, your facial muscles will not be able to relax. This tension and constant strain can lead to nocturnal teeth grinding and other stress-induced habits, aggravating your symptoms and creating painful headaches that interrupt your daily routine.
Many people go to their primary physician looking for relief from their headaches, but pain medication cannot treat the source of your headaches. The only way to eliminate them completely is to correct the structural issues that are causing them.
Treating Headaches With Neuromuscular Dentistry
Neuromuscular dentistry is dedicated to the effective diagnosis and treatment of TMJ / TMD. Neuromuscular dentists undergo specialized training in the physiology of your jaw, teeth, and bite in order to correct malocclusion and jaw misalignment.
We can treat the source of your headaches by pinpointing the correct position of your jaw and muscles, then developing a treatment plan designed to guide them back into place. Decades of clinical research and experience have proven this technique effective in eliminating the many painful symptoms suffered by TMJ patients.
If you suffer from severe headaches and other symptoms of TMJ, we can help you find relief. Contact us today to schedule your initial consultation with experienced neuromuscular dentist Dr. Clinton L. Esler.
The Esler Dental Group serves patients in the Tri-State area of Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma.