Face & Head Pain

Most patients who experience jaw pain, facial aches, headaches, migraines, neck pain, and other symptoms, are concerned that something unusual has occurred, especially after they receive dental care. Although nothing can be omitted, we will explain why you may:

• not able to be properly numbed during dental procedures
• experience unusual swelling, pain, and long recovery after dental procedures
• be experiencing headaches and migraines
• have pain in your jaw joint, ears, sinuses, and eyes
• have a stiff neck and shoulders
• continue to feel jaw and tooth pain when your doctor cannot find anything wrong

40% of all individuals deemed "healthy" suffer from some type of facial pain and headaches. Headache sufferers can be any age, from teens to seniors with the largest group of sufferers being women.

Although the reasons are unclear, researchers have found that women are 4 times more likely to suffer from Craniofacial Pain and it's effects than are men. There are 20 million Americans who suffer from TMJ,  chronic headaches, or pain from trauma (such as a motor vehicle accident). Many times, pain does not develop for months or even years after the trauma. Unfortunately, the majority of these people keep receiving inadequate care for their problem.

Typical ailments that require physical therapy include:

• headaches/migraines
• neck pain
• shoulder pain
• back pain
• jaw clicking, popping, or grating
• sinus pain
• pain behind the eyes
• difficulty eating
• ear pain, ringing in the ears, or hearing loss
• dizziness and light-headedness

Temporomandibular Joint and Muscle Disorders - TMJD

Commonly called TMJ, are characterized by pain in the jaw and surrounding tissues and limitations in jaw movements. Injury and conditions that routinely affect other joints in the body, such as arthritis, also affect the temporomandibular joint. People diagnosed with TMJDs may be experiencing other symptoms and medical conditions as part of a broad multi-systems illnesses that go unrecognized.

Approximately 35 million people in the United States suffer from TMJ problems. While both men and women experience TMJ problems, the majority of those seeking treatment are women in their childbearing years.

Pain is the most common symptom of TMJD. TMJ pain is often described as a dull ache in the jaw joint and nearby areas, including the ear, which comes and goes. Some people, however, report no pain, but still have problems using their jaws.

Other symptoms can include:

• pain in the neck and shoulders
• migraine and/or chronic headache
• jaw muscle stiffness
• limited movement or locking of the jaw
• painful clicking, popping or grating in the jaw joint when opening or closing the mouth
• a change in the way the upper and lower teeth fit together or a bite that feels "off'
• ringing in the ears
• ear pain
• decreased hearing
• dizziness and vision problems

Most current tests are intended to rule out other possible medical conditions. A diagnosis of TMJDs may be made only after every other possibility has been considered and eliminated. Facial pain can be a symptom of many conditions such as: sinus/ear infections, various types of headaches, facial neuralgias (nerve-related facial pain), tooth decay, and even tumors.

Not all causes are known. Potential causes or contributing factors are:

• injuries to the jaw area
• various forms of arthritis
• dental procedures
• genetic predisposition
• hormonal influence
• low-level infections
• auto-immune diseases
• stretching of the jaw as occurs with inserting a breathing tube before surgery
• clenching or grinding of the teeth.
• Progression of TMJDs

Some TMJ problems improve on their own, without treatment, within weeks or months with simple home therapy. For others, symptoms worsen over time and develop into long-term, persistent and debilitating pain.