Are Your Headaches Actually TMJ? (surprise, surprise)

Headaches can run the gamut from a minor nuisance to debilitating and disabling. Getting at the source of the headache can be no small task. But knowing that pain is always an indicator of a cause-effect relationship is a good place to start.

So what might be the cause-effect relationship of many of the headaches that people suffer? It’s called TMJ!

The good news is that TMJ can easily be cured without drugs or devices.

The source of many events in the body- good or bad- comes from the head and neck. And anything that interferes with how the head and neck function will likely cause some frustrating, or even debilitating, problems over time.

Chronic headache is one of those problems that can be caused by simple body mechanics- and not necessarily a chemical thing inside the brain.

According to some health experts, the source of what is likely a huge percentage of most headache pain is actually a misalignment of the temporomandibular joint, or TMJ.

The acronym TMJ doesn’t just refer to the actual joint. It more commonly refers to the misalignment itself, and the collection of symptoms that result from it.

The joint connects the lower jaw, or mandible, to the skull with muscles and connective tissue running up to the temples. These are the muscles you can see moving over the temples when you are chewing your food – and sometimes massage in an effort to stop a headache.

If a person’s joint is not properly aligned, it puts undue strain on the muscles, nerves, vessels, and other tissues running through the head and neck.

What causes the misalignment? Many things. If you notice any of these problems and you also suffer from headache, you might need to take steps to correct your TMJ.

The most easily spotted is having poor posture. If your head spends more time hung over a computer or other device (cell phone, anyone?) than it does centered between and over the shoulders, you are creating a misalignment of the TMJ.

Sometimes anatomy causes it for us, as with people who have bite problems. Your dentist or orthodontist will usually be able to spot this anatomical cause of TMJ.

Another issue is daytime or nighttime grinding. There are a variety of reasons this happens, but it contributes to TMJ problems, so stopping this reflexive habit will be critical if you suffer headaches.

Many times a person’s first indication of TMJ misalignment is a popping or catching of the jaw. You may feel it or even hear it happening.

The best part of the problem with TMJ headaches is that they can actually be corrected using simple exercises. These exercises loosen up the muscles around the jaw, leading the joint into the right position.

Learn more about the easy TMJ exercises here and try them out for yourself…

If your headaches are however not caused by TMJ, don’t despair. All headaches can actually be permanently prevented by loading up on this free ingredient…