3 Reasons you may have a Migraine

More than 38 million Americans suffer from migraines, and about 2-3 million of those suffer from chronic migraines, headaches that occur at least 15 times a month. Migraines can be caused from jaw issues, poor nutrition, back pain, and other physical and environmental issues.

Temporomandibular joint dysfunction occurs when the jaw bones are misaligned causing the muscles around the jaw to ache which triggers a migraine. Approximately 3 million people each year in the U.S. suffer from TMJ-induced migraines. Pain in the face, ear, jaw, or mouth accompanied with a clicking noise when eating or a locked jaw are often symptoms of TMJ.

TMJ treatment will vary on the severity and may include bite guards, physical therapy, or oral appliance therapy.

Inflammation occurs when your body’s defense mechanism is alerted and floods your body with defense cells and hormones that can be destructive when your body is constantly fighting. Migraines are often triggered when you consume inflammatory foods such as sugar, trans fat, and pasteurized diary. Many people who suffer from migraines consume a diet high in inflammatory foods, and in many cases, unresolved inflammatory issues are often the cause of severe migraines.

Incorporate an anti-inflammatory diet that is rich in whole plant foods or fermentable fibers. Anti-inflammatory foods include:

Eliminate a diet heavy in sugar, refined carbohydrates, and other inflammatory foods to prevent your chronic migraines.

Chronic neck and back pain can cause cervicogenic headaches which stem from a disorder of the cervical spine and the bone component discs and/or soft tissue elements. These issues often occur in the back and travel through the upper neck leaving a chronic ache at the base of the back of the head. The headaches morph into migraines and cause chronic pain.

Cervicogenic headaches are often treated by physical therapists and pain management specialty doctors. Sometimes injections or blockers are used to help block the pain and stop the migraines moving forward. At HollowBrook Sleep, we use 3D imaging and neurological testing to identify the source of your pain to provide a customized treatment plan.