Migraines remain mysterious. Despite all our research, we don't really understand what causes them. For people with migraines there are typically many triggers that can lead to the development of headaches. For many people, diet is a big part of their migraine triggers, and when people have a dietary migraine trigger, a [...]
If you are having frequent headaches, they can be disruptive. It can be hard to work, and even harder to play when you have bad headaches. It can feel very hard to track down the cause of your headaches, too, which makes them even more frustrating. Sleep apnea [...]
If you live with daily migraines, your quality of life is likely a lot lower than you want it to be. You’ve probably tried every migraine treatment you can find and still experience frequent headaches and migraines. At TMJ Therapy & Sleep Center of Colorado, we offer a headache and migraine treatment [...]
There are many different types of migraine triggers, and it's important for you to be aware of which ones are most likely to trigger yours. An important one to consider is smells. From 20-90% of migraine sufferers experience headaches caused by smells, and are sometimes said to be the second most common [...]
We’ve said before that the exact mechanism by which TMJ triggers migraines is uncertain. However, the problem isn’t just linked to TMJ--many migraine causes are mysterious. Nor is it only causes that are mysterious--some treatments baffle us, too, in their mechanism. This includes the increasingly popular use of {{{{link id='3391' text='BOTOX® injections to treat [...]
Last week, we were reviewing some preliminary research about how yoga can help people with TMJ. However, now a new study shows that yoga is an effective adjunct to typical migraine treatment with medications. The study shows that, after three months, people who did yoga had more improvement in their [...]
Migraines are not just a very common condition, they are a condition that comes with many variations. Some of these variations are particularly disabling and/or hard to treat. One of these hard-to-treat subtypes is vestibular migraine. In this type of migraine, you experience dizziness along with your headache, which can make it even more
For many of us, coffee is part of our daily routine. While one cup of java in the morning might be the perfect pick-me-up, adding too many more caffeinated drinks over the course of the day could be increasing your risk of migraines. That’s according to a new study, which suggests that [...]
People who suffer with migraines face a number of critical challenges. It’s hard for them to maintain a good work schedule, and just as hard to get relaxation by spending time with friends and family. Seeing their challenges can make you want to help, but what can you do [...]
We know that migraines are among the conditions that tend to be associated with temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ). We also know that teens frequently develop TMJ. So it seems likely that migraine and TMJ would be associated with one another in teens. The association between these [...]
In an attempt to help counter the ongoing crisis of opioid overdose in the US, the FDA has announced that devices for controlling pain can get through the approval process faster. This may mean that in the near future, we may have access to more drug-free treatments for migraines. But there’s even [...]
One of the biggest challenges of getting successful treatment for your TMJ is getting a successful diagnosis. TMJ symptoms often overlap with other conditions, and since many doctors don’t know much about TMJ, they are more likely to put a label on the symptoms that they feel more comfortable with. Since these [...]
Migraine surgery remains a controversial procedure to treat migraines. Although advocates push its potential benefits, the studies demonstrating these benefits have been questioned, and the cost, side effects, and other drawbacks have been shown to be significant. Now a new study is demonstrating the potential functional benefits of migraine surgery, lending additional [...]
Migraine sufferers have long struggled to find successful migraine treatments. And when they do, these treatments come with numerous potential side effects. Few migraine sufferers have found a treatment that they are happy with. But that may soon change, with the development of new migraine drugs that target a key link in the causal mechanism [...]
It’s probably the last thing you want to hear when you’re fighting through the pain and nausea of your migraine: it’s good for you. But that’s exactly what one researcher is proposing, that migraines might actually be a protective mechanism for the brain, and that utilizing the techniques of migraines--although hopefully without the pain--could revolutionize [...]
Headaches and migraines are complex conditions with many potential causes. In order to be able to treat them properly, we have to be prepared to offer many different treatments that can target these causes and provide relief. One treatment we offer for these and other painful conditions is trigger point injections. This safe, [...]
Denver Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak was sidelined for last Thursday’s loss against the Chargers with what the team deemed a “complex migraine condition.” “Complex migraine” is a general term, and it can refer to a severe migraine, a migraine accompanied by visual aura, or lingering migraine complications. The precise cause of Kubiak’s migraine has [...]
Unless you have been living under a rock you know that marijuana is now legal for medical and recreational use in four states. One of those four being our very own Colorado. A staggering 23 states and Washington, DC have legalized medical marijuana. Clearly there is something about marijuana that makes it useful as medication, [...]
Migraines have proven to be extremely tricky to treat with recent studies indicating that those suffering from migraines are increasingly dissatisfied with their treatment plan. Many doctors today are relying on drugs that can have strong negative side effects (such as opioids). As if the side effects were not bad enough, [...]
We have all been there. As you wake up the next morning from a night out, you reach over and shut off the alarm that's ringing sounds like a million bombs going off in your ears. Last night was fun, probably a little too fun, and now you are hungover and are faced with the [...]
Most migraine sufferers have tried many different treatments, often with little or no success, until they stumble on something that works. That was the case for a British woman, who recently found that her ear piercing relieved her migraines. And she’s not the only one to get these results. Could this [...]
Many people have difficulty understanding how a jaw disorder like TMJ can be linked to severe headaches and especially migraines. After all, migraines are caused inside the head, and are linked to a wide range of triggers that don't seem to have any relationship to the jaw. But there is an [...]
One of the big challenges in our lives is forging and maintaining social relationships. Time management, self-esteem, employment, and hygiene are a few factors that can make maintaining relationships easier or more difficult. Frequent migraines caused by TMJ can make this already challenging task seem insurmountable. Focusing on something as simple as a [...]
A new study suggests that, far from improving, family doctors might be getting worse at treating routine headaches. The evidence shows that even though guidelines recommend less imaging, fewer drugs, and more counseling, the trend is going in the opposite direction, making headache care more expensive, less effective, and adding risks. Keeping Watch [...]
Recently, researchers released the results of a study looking at the association between childhood abuse and migraine risk. Researchers were not able to show that abuse caused migraines--that was not their intent--but the strong association between the two factors, they say, should inform migraine treatment. A Strong Association Dawn Buse, one of the study authors, [...]
According to a new study, migraine sufferers are nearly twice as likely to suffer from Bell's palsy. Although researchers in the study haven't explained the link, it could tell us more about migraine, and further explain how TMJ treatment helps migraine sufferers. What Is Bell's Palsy? Bell's palsy is an unusual condition in [...]
With increased interest in drug alternatives for treating migraines, people are going to back to reevaluate the effectiveness of some of these options. For some, there seems to be some truth to the old wisdom. For hundreds of years, feverfew has been used in a role similar to the way we now use [...]
If you suffer from migraine headaches, they will definitely have an impact on your life. But that doesn't mean they have to control your life. You still have the power to live the life you want, if you seize control back from your migraines. Here are some strategies that help migraine sufferers get [...]
Most people with migraines know that certain foods can be migraine triggers. But did you know that other foods can also help prevent migraines? It’s true, and Alicia Silverstone has compiled a good list of them on her blog The Kind Life. We’ll talk about some of her recommendations, alternatives, and give [...]
One in four people with migraines has sleep apnea, which has led some people to wonder whether sleep apnea might contribute to migraines. If so, then sleep apnea treatment should give migraine relief, and, according to a small new study, that seems to be the case. However, researchers used [...]
For the first time ever, the FDA has approved a migraine prevention drug for teens. The drug topiramate has long been used for migraine prevention in adults, and has been shown to be safe and effective for teens. Although this can have the positive effect of reducing the number of Half of Teens Who See the Doctor for Headaches Are Prescribed Opiates
The FDA has decided to allow marketing of a new at-home transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) device--called Cefaly--to be used for migraine headache prevention. The device was said to be useful for people who do not currently tolerate migraine prevention medications. What Is Cefaly? Cefaly is a small, portable, battery-powered prescription device that [...]
In December 2013, the FDA approved its first-ever migraine treatment treatment device. The good news is that this treatment went through the actual premarket approval system, instead of being eased in using the 510(k) equivalence system that means no trials are needed for approvals. The bad news is that, although we know the [...]
The online migraine community Migraine.com ran a survey on its website to determine details about the migraine population. The survey got more than 2700 responses on some questions, and although it's not a scientific survey it reveals a lot about migraine sufferers, such as who they are, and what their experience was like. [...]
Do you have debilitating bouts of visual symptoms, dizziness, and tingling in your limbs? These may actually be migraines, even though you don't have headaches. Although for many people, a migraine is synonymous with a very bad headache, it's actually a distinct condition that has many different effects. Without the headache, it is [...]
Teens have practically the same rate of migraines as adults, but there are not clinically accepted guidelines for teen treatment to the same extent as for adults. Now a new study shows that clinical treatment for teens with migraines should include not only drug treatment, but perhaps cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as well. [...]
Migraines can be hard to treat. Part of the problem is that "migraine" is a blanket label used to describe many related, but fundamentally different, conditions. If you are going to get relief from your migraine, you have to be prepared to consider and try many different treatments. Greater occipital nerve block (which, [...]
Researchers have identified a new site for migraine triggers that everyone has been overlooking for years, despite the fact that it's plain as the nose on your face. In fact, it is the nose on your face. It turns out that allergies and other sources of nose irritation can lead to worse migraines. [...]
People with pain centered in their teeth or sinuses may suspect many things, such as a sinus infection and cavities or other tooth problems. They may never suspect the true cause of their problems, an atypical migraine, also called neurovascular orofacial pain. Types of Atypical Migraines Migraines are a mysterious condition. Part of [...]
Medical professionals estimate that nearly 37 million Americans suffer from migraines; however, numerous more endure chronic headaches which occur as a result of other physical ailments. Although migraine sufferers often have trouble attaining consistent relief, others are more fortunate. To find out if your chronic headaches actually stem from a treatable physical problem, consider the [...]
Because they are unrelenting and difficult to treat, chronic conditions tend to leave people feeling hopeless. Sadly, according to a recent study, these negative feelings often force many people to end their lives prematurely. Increased Suicide Risk New research indicates that people are more likely to commit suicide when they suffer from migraines and other [...]
TMJ disorder affects numerous Americans, who must cope with trying symptoms, such as pain, difficulty chewing and tinnitus. Many sufferers also endure migraine headaches that may or may not be associated with their conditions. Recently, a Brazilian study looked at the potential correlation between migraines and temporomandibular joint disorder, and the results appear to indicate [...]
Migraines bring crippling pain that can make it almost impossible for people to function at work or at home. In search of relief, many turn to prescription and over-the-counter drugs specifically created to provide migraine relief. Unfortunately, like most medications, these drugs come with a certain amount of risk. Recall Attracts Attention Recently, the Novartis [...]
Migraine headaches aren't just painful; they can have debilitating effects that make it difficult or impossible for people to function at work. Unfortunately, many unknowing people regard migraines as simple headaches, without understanding just how complex and overwhelming they can be. In fact, a recent study suggests that most migraine sufferers feel they are treated [...]
Millions of Americans suffer from migraine headaches, which can cause debilitating symptoms, such as severe pain, nausea, temporary blindness, numbness and sensitivity to sound and light. That said, while some people believe they are getting migraine headaches, many are actually suffering from TMJ disorder, a medical condition that causes inflammation in the muscles that surround [...]
