Why Physicians Who Treat Headaches Know So Little About TMJ (TMD) And Neuromuscular Dentistry

Jackuelyn:      I've been informing 3 different neuro doctors of my migraine pain the runs from the top of my head/jaw/neck/shoulder. Only to be told by the last 2 that there was nothing they could do for me and the released me as there patient. 

The doctor im seeing now is ok however, i just diagnosed myself when i noticed that my jaw upper jaw row of teeth were not straight (meaning growing outward) i look up TMJ and my photo was on the website. 

My trust in physicians is GONE DUE TO THE SIMPLE FACT THAT I ASKED IF THIS COULD BE THE CAUSE OF MY PAIN AND I WAS TOLD NO.

Dear Jacquelyn,

I understand your frustration, unfortunately many neurologists know little about Neuromuscular Dentistry, Physical Medicine or TMJ disorders and their treatment.  With the exception of Botox injections they are usually limited to doing tests and writing perscriptions.  Botox can be effective but it treats the symptom of referred pain from muscle without addressing the underlying cause of the pain.

Ira L Shapira DDS, D,ABDSM, D,AAPM, FICCMO

SEVERE HEADACHE PATIENTS BENEFIT FROM TMJ (TMD) TREATMENT REGARDLESS OF THE TYPE OF HEADACHE, INCLUDING TENSION HEADACHE AND MIGRAINE WITH OR WITHOUT AURA

THIS IS AN OLDER ARTICLE (see abstract below) BUT IS PROBABLY RELEVANT FOR ALL HEADACHE PATIENTS REGARDLESS OF THE TYPE.  The mechanism of TMD therapy is to reduce noxious input into the central nervous system thru the Trigeminal Nerve.  The use of Neuromuscular Dentistry where an ultra-low frequency TENS is used to relax musculature is the most effective method of rapidly correcting the neuromuscular position of the mandible.  Stabilization with a diagnostic orthotic often gives rapid and significant headache relief.   The Trigeminal Nerve plays a central role in nearly all type of headaches and when there is nociceptive input to the brain the the trigeminal it can be widely magnified by the reticular activating system.  In computer lingo GARBAGE IN- GARBAGE OUT in this case garbage being headaches and migraines.

Cranio. 2006 Apr;24(2):104-11.

Headache improvement through TMD stabilization appliance and self-management therapies.

Wright EF, Clark EG, Paunovich ED, Hart RG.

Source

University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, USA. wrighte2@uthscsa.edu

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess headache response of unselected neurology clinic chronic headache patients to TMD stabilization appliance and self-management therapies, and to identify features of patients whose headaches are more likely to improve from these therapies. Twenty chronic headache patients in a nontreatment control period were provided appliance and self-management therapies, evaluated five weeks after therapy, and those who chose to continue using their appliances were evaluated three months later. The mean pretreatment Headache Disability Inventory (HDI) score of 64.5 suggested the headaches were severe. After five weeks, the mean HDI score decreased by 17 percent (p<0 .003="" 18="" 19="" 23="" 39="" 46="" a="" and="" appliance="" appliances="" aura="" be="" beneficial="" between="" by="" can="" chose="" comparing="" consumption="" continue="" correlation="" decrease="" decreased="" drop="" dropped="" follow-up="" for="" fourteen="" had="" hdi="" headache="" irrespective="" many="" mean="" medication="" migraine="" months="" no="" of="" p="" participants="" patients="" percent="" pretreatment="" response="" results="" score="" self-management="" severe="" suggest="" symptom="" symptoms="" tension-type="" the="" their="" therapies="" there="" these="" three="" to="" type="" using="" was="" who="" with="" without="">

PMID:

 

16711272

 

[PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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