Migraines & Headaches Resource Center

There are a number of causes for migraine headaches from food allergies to muscle and nerve problems and pressure to stress.  There are just as many ways to treat migraine headaches.  Some work well and some don’t.  It depends on the person.  Something that works well for one person might do absolutely nothing for another person and vice-versa.  Researchers and doctors are finding new ways to treat migraines on a regular basis.

There is another idea when it comes to the treatment and relief of migraines.  If you are familiar with a person who grinds their teeth – especially in their sleep – without realizing it, you are probably aware that they often get headaches.  When a person grinds their teeth regularly, they are putting pressure on the jaw, the muscles and the nerves in the area. This, in turn can cause the muscles and nerves in the back of the head and neck to tighten and pinch, causing severe headaches and migraine headaches.

Not all migraines are caused this way, but a large amount of them are.  Doctors don’t always realize that she should be looking at the jaw and the teeth to try and determine if they are involved in a person’s migraine headaches.  A dentist, on the other hand, is used to looking at teeth, gums and jaw to discern the root of problems.  Dentists have determined that individuals who have ground down their teeth, have lumps on the gums and have problems with their jaws often have migraine headaches.  The problem is that these individuals usually grind their teeth in their sleep and they grind them tightly, quite hard, and constantly – much more than individuals who just grind their teeth once in a while.  They don’t realize the connection between the grinding and the migraines.  In fact, even doctors don’t realize that this type of grinding puts tremendous stress on the muscles in the forehead, causing headaches.

One dentist has determined a good form of treatment to relieve both the grinding and the migraines.  The same type of apparatus that fits over the teeth called the NTI-tss dental device, created by Dr. James Boyd, can be used in the mouth to eliminate the grinding and relax the muscles, thus eliminating many of the migraines.  The device is usually only worn at night and once the muscles are trained to stop tightening, the person can use the device only when they have a migraine episode, or possibly not have to wear it at all.

If you think that this could be the cause of your headaches or somebody else’s, you can find more information at www.headacheprevention.com.