The severe pain that comes from temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) is often confused for a migraine, but there are differences in both the causes and the body’s response to these forms of pain that need to be distinguished for a proper diagnosis. The neuromuscular dentists at Colonial Dental Group have years of experience and training to properly diagnose and treat TMD, and any symptom related to TMD should give you immediate cause to contact us for a consultation.
Differences in Causes and Symptoms
The exact cause of migraine headaches is not knows, but a number of factors are believed to contribute to them:
- Environmental factors
- Dietary habits, including alcohol consumption
- Inadequate sleep
- Extreme emotions
The symptoms of a migraine are:
- Throbbing pain that can engulf the entire cranium
- Nausea
- Sensitivity to light and sound
TMD, on the other hand, is caused by your jaw being misaligned due to:
- Accidents
- Disease
- Improper dental work
- Personal habits like grinding teeth
The symptoms of TMD are much more varied and can include headaches as well as:
- Pain in the jaw, neck, or shoulders
- Jaw lock
- Jaw clicking
- Ringing in the ears
If your headache is accompanied by any of the above symptoms, you may have TMD, and should see a neuromuscular dentist as soon as possible to diagnose and treat the root cause of problem, not just its symptoms.
If you live in the Chicago, Illinois area and are experiencing frequent headaches, please contact the experienced TMD dentists at Colonial Dental Group right away for a thorough examination and detection of possible TMD.