Did You Know TMJ Could Be Triggering Your Migraine Episodes?
My migraine disease has evolved as I’ve aged. No major surprise there. So has my eyesight, flexibility, and my weight. Such is life. Migraine episode frequency has changed along with hormonal shifts from puberty through menopause.
Recently, I noticed an increase in migraines starting up during the night. For several months, I brushed them off as weather-related. Kansas storm fronts were notorious for triggering sinus and/or migraine issues.
Let me go back a bit. For decades, my jaw has popped a little if I chewed gum or ate something extra chewy like baguette bread or caramels. I told my dentist about it, and he told me to let him know if it begins to interfere with eating or starts to hurt. I asked him if it could be triggering migraines. He replied if it were, I would know. Since I didn’t know, I guessed it wasn’t.
When the popping became uncomfortable and more prevalent no matter what I ate, I decided it was time to press the issue with the dentist. He said I might have TMJ and fitted me for a simple, inexpensive mouthguard to wear at night. After a few months, I saw no signs of improvement with the popping, and I woke up several nights a week with a migraine. I thought this had to be more than a coincidence because the weather had been calm.
I called the dentist and asked for a specialist referral. Enter my TMJ dentist, also known as my miracle worker. He confirmed the diagnosis of TMJ and fitted me with a different type of mouthguard designed specifically for TMJ. I asked him if there could be a connection between the jaw issue and waking up during the night with a migraine.
He said, “Absolutely. You’re grinding your teeth when you sleep, which can trigger a migraine. It’s also obstructing your breathing by narrowing your windpipe. You don’t sleep well, do you?”
I told him I didn’t sleep well. He assured me he could fix that and lower the frequency of my migraines. I fought the urge to give him a hug. He felt like my hero, but I reeled in my enthusiasm. I didn’t want to get my hopes up too high.
I had to wear the mouthguard as much as possible during the day and night for three weeks. I was determined to do whatever it took to increase the odds of this working, so I followed his instructions to the letter. At the end of the three weeks, I could start wearing the mouthguard only at night. If the jaw popping came back, I could slip the guard in for a few minutes to coax things back into place.
The results were amazing! Jaw popping is now under control and waking up with a migraine has gone back to the occasional weather issue. My only regret is not having done it sooner. I will tell you the TMJ mouthguard is expensive and not covered by insurance. I don’t understand why insurance doesn’t cover it. I mean, it’s a legitimate medical problem that triggers another legitimate medical problem. Insurance baffles and infuriates me.
I woke up pain-free this morning. Considering that good fortune, I think I’ll ignore insurance obstacles today and focus on the positive. Don’t you love it when you stumble upon something that decreases migraine frequency? I sure do.
Originally published at WebMD.com on 11/5/24.
