Headaches, Neckaches & Jawaches
Treatment of Common Headaches– a holistic dentists’ approach
Have you been suffering from headaches, neckaches and jawaches for years? Feeling the pressure of constant headaches? Are you waking with tension or pain and feeling tired?
The solutions to these problems could be as simple as a visit to Sydney Dental Centre.
Contact us today to find out more!
Has something simple been overlooked?
Dentists and physicians see many patients suffering from various types of chronic headaches and neckaches. Studies have shown that a common factor in migraine and tensiontype headaches and neckaches may be chronic clenching. If this is the case then the use of a simple dental orthotic may provide patients with an effective, non–drug treatment of their pain, and improve their general health.
What is the problem?
Headaches and neckaches occur when there is tear or damage to a muscle, tendon, ligament or the attachment of those structures to the bone. These are called “soft tissue lesions”. These “lesions” activate the nerves that cause pain. This chronic pain can also activate the autonomic nervous system (involuntary part of our nervous system), causing disturbances in vision, balance, sinuses, digestion and many others seemingly unrelated symptoms. Soft tissue lesions are caused by some sort of trauma that may have occurred many years ago which may be either a
- Major trauma – like car accident, sporting injury, general anaesthetic, a fall or a blow to the body.
- Minor trauma – like poor sleeping or working posture, clenching or grinding of teeth
The dental connection
If you clench or grind your teeth, your jaw muscles tighten together with muscles at the back of the neck. This tension will prevent those neck muscles from relaxing and the soft tissue lesions from healing. This connection between jaw and neck muscles is often overlooked as a factor when considering headaches and neckaches.
Common pain patterns for headaches (marked in red) and common sites of soft tissue lesions (marked with x) associated with this jaw/neck relationships are outlined above.
Recognising the connection and identifying factors that contribute to a problem is an important step in fixing the problem. People clench or grind their teeth for 3 reasons:
- Pain – this can follow a cycle of pain causing clenching of the jaws. The clenching of the jaws perpetuates the soft tissue lesions resulting in the muscular and neurological pain eg. Headaches or neckaches
- Stress – the pressures of our everyday social, family and working lives, together with postural and nutritional stresses
- Disturbed sleep patterns – in order to maintain good health, the importance of restful sleep is central to a healthy lifestyle. The ability to maintain you airway while you sleep is vital to the body’s ability to rest and recuperate.
Assessment and treatment – carefully assessing the problem and treating accordingly:
- Muscles, joints and nerves – considering the state of the muscles and joints and understanding their impact on the nervous system, both voluntary (peripheral nervous system) and involuntary (autonomic nervous system).
- Sleep – the importance and impact of your sleep. Assessing how best to support the jaw at night, to minimise the harmful effect of clenching and grinding on the muscles of the head and neck, and also to help maintain an open airway at night and have a restful, refreshing night's sleep.
- Teeth and jaw joints – the way the upper and lower teeth fit together (occlusion) and the functioning of the jaw joints (temporomandibular joints, TMJ). The significance of clicking and popping of the jaw joint, together with an assessment of the ability to move the jaw comfortably.
- Postural stress – the impact of postural stresses, which may prevent the soft tissue lesions from healing. Looking particularly at sleeping posture, spine, leg length differences, head forward posturing and unstable ankle joints in consultation with other health practitioners.
- Nutrition and exercise – the importance of optimal nutrition and sustainable exercise in achieving an environment within your body that is conducive to healing, optimal energy and being pain–free. Poor nutrition and lack of exercise causes the body to become more acidic effecting metabolism, the balance of calcium in the body and chronic inflammation. The balance of proteins, correct fats and carbohydrates is essential in optimising this.
Some examples of many appliances that support the jaw, reduce the strain on the muscles of the head and neck, and may help maintain an open airway contributing to a restful, refreshing and recuperative sleep.
NTI (night only)
fits comfortably on the upper or lower front teeth. If only the front teeth touch, the temporal, jaw and neck muscles are prevented from tightening.
Upper Night orthotic
like the NTI with the additional ability to support the lower jaw at night, reducing clicking of the jaw joints and maintaining your airway.
Lower day orthotic
supports the jaw joints during the day ,when clicking of the jaw joints and restriction of jaw movement is a problem.
The objective of our treatment
The objective of our treatment in general, and the orthotic appliances in particular is:
- to reduce the damaging effect of night clenching and grinding of teeth on head, neck and jaw muscles
- to support the jaw in a more balanced positioned
- facilitate the healing of soft tissue lesions
- eliminate chronic pain such as headaches, neckaches or jawache
- facilitate a more restful, refreshing and recuperative night's sleep
- improve your energy and general health.
