Tension Headache Can Actually Be TMJD

Filed in archive Cases , Studies on May 18, 2006

Have you been diagnosed of tension-related recurrent headaches? Then you may actually be suffering from temporomandibular muscle and joint disorder or TMJD. As shown by a study conducted from the University of Buffalo's School of Dental Medicine.

These results have been presented by Richard Ohrbach, D.D.S., Ph.D., UB associate professor in the Department of Oral Diagnostic Sciences, at the American Association of Dental Research meeting held recently in Orlando, Florida.

The temporalis muscle is responsible for closing the jaw and is involved in chewing, but these core functions of that pair of muscles often are ignored when the presenting complaint is "headache," as opposed to jaw pain, Ohrbach said.

"Because headache is so incredibly common, it often is regarded as inevitable, and if sufferers label the pain as 'headache,' they may not seek help," he said. "Or if they do seek help, the label of 'headache' typically will propel the individual to a physician or neurologist for consultation.

"Knowledge about the intersection between jaw pain and headache is not well established, and consequently, jaw pain may be ignored in the differential diagnosis," Ohrbach added. "This can be most unfortunate for the individual, because TMJD can be very treatable, but if a jaw disorder is ignored, then treatment for the headache may not address all of the factors contributing to the headache."

Read more at University of Buffalo News.