Migraine headaches can be very debilitating and greatly reduce the quality of life of the sufferer. It can be difficult to diagnose the cause as there are many symptoms. Most people learn to live with migraines and for years will “pop” a pill to deal with the pain. It is always amazing to speak to chronic, long term pain patients who seem to accept that getting three or four headaches or migraines per week is normal. They just put up with their lot!
Migraines can be a consequence of our everyday life. Stresses at work or home or lifestyle habits of drinking or smoking are common culprits. Disturbed sleeping patterns and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are often related and at Lilli Pilli Dental we can investigate this further if deemed necessary.
Environmental pollutants and contaminates with heavy metals has also been shown to be a major stressor. Amalgam removed in a safe way may be recommended. You may not have considered that your bite could be a cause of your migraines. Most migraines are of muscle origin and a poor bite will stress the muscles of the head.
Dr Cameron Dodd has done advanced studies in neuromuscular dental rehabilitation of bites which allows the muscles of the head and neck to achieve a physiological resting state. This has been shown to have a positive impact in reducing migraines that are due to muscle spasm. Using bioinstrumentation, we can assess the tonicity of your head and neck musculature and determine if muscle spasm is the cause of the migraine. We then determine if your cervical spine and posture are causative factors, in which case we use skilled physiotherapists or chiropractors to treat that area. If it is determined that the way your teeth come together is the problem, then we will discuss treatment options with you.