Like many people, you might have a bad habit of clenching your teeth or grinding them (bruxing) when stressed, annoyed, or focusing intently. This activity causes constant irritation to the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and can irritate the nerve which services the temporomandibular joint. As this nerve sends distressed signals back to the brain, the abundance of electrical impulses which make up these signals can cause muscle contractions in your neck, head, and jaw – these muscle spasms create additional stress for your nervous system which is also controlling blood flow to your brain. As blood is sent to the head and neck the blood pressure in your brain can be affected. While the blood pressure in the rest of your body can vary throughout the day (generally higher in the morning, and lower at night), a slight change in which can cause terrible headaches that are often very similar to migraines.
To help relieve these TMJ caused headaches we adjust the jaw and teach patients techniques they can use at home to help relax the muscles around the jaw and prevent continued teeth clenching and grinding.