If you have migraines, you know that you’ll try just about anything to get relief. But while you may be open to all sorts of pills, injections, or other therapies, you may never have thought to ask your dentist for help. Many migraine symptoms stem from tense muscles in the jaw, temple, and neck area, or from TMJ (jaw joint) problems. If your migraine pain is in these areas, your dentist may be able to help ease your migraine pain and decrease your migraine episodes overall!
Botox for Migraines
Dr. Westmoreland offers FDA approved Botox injections for the relief of migraine, TMJ, and facial pain. In just a few short minutes, a series of these injections block the nerves that cause muscle spasm, providing deep relaxation and pain relief. Your results can last as long as three months, and with repeated treatments, muscles are less likely to spasm, so you’ll see long-term improvement in your migraine symptoms.
Laser Therapy
Another way we can treat migraine pain in the face and jaw is with laser therapy. Dr. Westmoreland’s Epic X Diode Laser treats tense muscles in the jaw, face, and neck with high-intensity pulsed light, increasing blood flow to the affected areas and causing the muscles to relax. This treatment offers significant pain relief without any injections, but it’s even more effective when used with Botox injections and our other therapies.
Long Term Treatment
Our full migraine therapy protocol includes Botox injections and laser treatment for immediate muscle relaxation, as well as lidocaine injections for quick pain relief and a night guard called an NTI splint. While the injections and laser offer fast relief of acute symptoms, an NTI splint helps to correct muscle spasms and TMJ dysfunction over time. Unlike conventional night guards, this specially designed splint shifts the bite force away from the back teeth so the large chewing muscles in the cheeks can’t clench throughout the night. Less clenching and grinding overnight leads to less tension and spasm over time, which will decrease your migraines in both intensity and frequency so you’ll be less reliant on injections and other rescue therapies.
If you need help with migraine pain in the face and jaw, your dentist can be a great resource. Dr. Westmoreland has several ways to help you with your migraines, so please call our office or contact us today and let us help you get your life back!