Visit Your Dentist for Help Treating Migraine Headaches

Migraine headaches can be painful and debilitating. In many instances, they can seriously impact your quality of life on a daily basis. Unfortunately, these headaches often go untreated, largely because many people don’t seek treatment from the right doctor. If you’ve visited several specialists and still haven’t identified the underlying cause of your migraines, you may want to visit your dentist. It’s highly possible that the cause of your migraines may be associated with a misaligned jaw.

Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) is a condition that occurs when your jaw joint becomes misaligned. When you suffer from TMJ, your misaligned bite can place stress on the muscles, nerves and joints in the surrounding region. As a result, many of the most common TMJ symptoms don’t impact your jaw; instead, they impact other regions of your body such as the face, neck, shoulders, and back. One of the most common TMJ symptoms is chronic migraine headaches.

If your migraines are caused by a TMJ-related issue, Dr. Heather Fleschler can use the principles of neuromuscular dentistry to restore your jaw to its ideal resting position. This will often alleviate the painful migraines you are experiencing.

Dr. Fleschler will start by performing a comprehensive diagnostic exam to determine whether your migraines are due to a TMJ-related issue. This evaluation will involve:

• K7 computerized jaw scanning — The K7 system utilizes electromyography, joint sonography and jaw tracking to gather data regarding the alignment and function of your jaw. This data is used to help Dr. Fleschler locate your jaw’s ideal resting position.
•  TENS therapy — Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) therapy can be used to relax the muscles in your head and neck, making it easier to place your jaw in its ideal resting position. TENS therapy can also be used to temporarily alleviate the pain you are experiencing.
• Myo-Monitor — Electrical impulses are used to stimulate and relax jaw muscles, enabling us to evaluate the movements taking place during each phase of muscle activity.

Once Dr. Fleschler has determined your headaches are being caused by TMJ, she will recommend a customized migraine treatment plan to restore a properly aligned bite and alleviate the pain associated with your headaches. Depending on your unique needs, your migraine treatment plan may include:

If you experience chronic migraine headaches, please contact Dr. Heather Fleschler using the form on this page or call (713) 660-6500 today to schedule a consultation. We serve patients in the Houston, Texas areas of River Oaks, West University, Meyerland and Bellaire.