If you’ve never heard of bruxism, it’s a condition that causes teeth grinding or clenching. It’s fairly common and typically not so serious, but it can lead to problems like gum recession, tooth wear, breakage, jaw pain, or migraine. In this article, we’ll tackle the connection between these two and the best Rockford migraine relief that can help reduce headaches and annoying and debilitating teeth-clenching habits!
What is Bruxism, and How Does it Lead to Migraine?
Have you ever wondered why you get a headache whenever you feel stressed? Was there ever a time you woke up from a nightmare and had a painful and sore jaw? Notably, these two seemingly unrelated symptoms are related—and they’re called bruxism and migraine.
Bruxism is the term for clenching or grinding your teeth. It’s also called bruxing or tooth grinding. While it’s most common in children, it can occur in adults, too, especially those who constantly navigate emotional struggles.
When you grind your teeth during sleep (bruxism), it can cause headaches in the morning due to muscle tension, jaw pain from overuse, and tooth damage from tooth enamel loss due to excessive force on them during sleep.
Migraines can also cause these same symptoms. Migraine is another condition that researchers link to sleep problems—and sometimes even teeth clenching or grinding. When you have a migraine, nerves in your brain send signals rapidly, causing an imbalance in your neurotransmitters. This eventually leads to facial pain, fatigue, headaches, and other common migraine symptoms. You may also experience symptoms like nausea and sensitivity to light or sound.
So if you have a history of migraines and wake up with jaw pain every day, consider asking your doctor to determine if these conditions indeed have strong ties!
With a detailed diagnosis, you can determine which source of Rockford migraine relief you must consider.
To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and migraines, download our complimentary e-book by clicking the image below.
Signs and Symptoms of Bruxism
If you are totally new to the idea of bruxism or that you are teeth grinding and it’s what’s causing you migraine, then here are some of the common signs to watch out for – to be sure.
Grinding teeth
The sound of grinding teeth is a telltale sign of bruxism, and when you wake up with a headache in the morning, you may have been grinding away all night without even realizing it.
Clenching jaw
Another symptom of bruxism is a tight feeling around your jaw area or temples during the day, as well as headaches that come on when you’re stressed out or doing something stressful, like driving or working for long periods.
Headaches
Migraines are incredibly common among people who suffer from bruxism—and not just because they have painful grinding sensations in their head but also because they can cause significant discomfort and stress.
Do You Suffer From Teeth Grinding? Try These Rockford Migraine Relief Forms
If you suspect you might have bruxism, or if your doctor has recommended that you get tested for sleep disorders, there are methods you can try to help yourself. Some of the most recommended Rockford migraine relief forms that can help address both bruxism and migraine include:
Wearing a mouth guard at night
Custom-fit mouth guards can protect your teeth and gums from the wear and tear of grinding. If wearing it is uncomfortable, try experimenting with different materials until you find one that works best for you (such as acrylic resin instead of hard plastic). Ensure it fits properly so it doesn’t come loose while asleep. We also strongly suggest removing it when eating breakfast!
Get a massage every few months
A regular massage can help relieve tension in the muscles around your jawline and neck area so they don’t become so tight that they cause pain when speaking or chewing food later on. You can also try massaging yourself by placing one hand on each side of your face with your thumbs resting just below eye level.
Then, gently press inward towards each other several times before slowly releasing back into place. This will helps relax tense areas without having someone else do all work for free!
Hot baths before sleep
Take hot baths before bedtime instead of cold showers in order to reduce pain caused by migraines due to nocturnal bruxism episodes occurring over time throughout life cycles due to lack of treatment periodicity, thus causing chronic migraines. This simple technique can help one relax before sleep, including their muscles.
Try upper cervical chiropractic
If you can’t stop bruxing on your own, seek professional help. Chiropractic care is a great approach to managing bruxism and migraine pain. If you’re suffering from migraines, then it’s important that you see a chiropractor who can help you work on your posture and reduce the intensity of your headaches and teeth grinding.
If you’re curious about whether or not upper cervical care could be helpful for your migraines, contact Upper Cervical Care Center – Rockford today!
Dr. Schalow will assess you and discuss your options with you so that we can determine what’s best for your unique situation. Consultations and regular visits to an upper cervical doctor like Dr. Schalow will also help you pinpoint situations that might have contributed to your current posture issues (accidents, injuries, poor posture, etc.).
You can set your appointment with him via phone (815) 384 1127, email, or online consultation form. Whatever is most convenient for you, we strongly recommend taking advantage of them or combining them with other remedies that have already worked for you!
To schedule a consultation with Dr Schalow, call our Rockford office at 815-384-1127 . You can also click the button below.
If you are outside of the local area you can find an Upper Cervical Doctor near you at www.uppercervicalawareness.com.
