Headaches!!!???

[JustAskJulie]

If I've come across overly bitchy lately I apologize... not necessarily for what I said, but how I may have said it. Ever since these braces went on (well actually shortly after the spacers went in) I've been having massive tension in my neck and shoulders leading to massive tension headaches, which quite often turn into migraines. Yesterday I went through prescription migraine meds, excedrin migraine & a muscle relaxer all with little to no relief. I've actually been in physical therapy for the last month for the headaches and that really doesn't seem to be helping much either. The therapy loosens up my neck just a bit but by the time I go again 2 days later it's just as bad as it was to begin with. I'm at the point where I'm willing to try anything! I'm heading to the chiropractor today and back to the dr on Wednesday to see what they can do. I'm pretty sure it's all connected to my braces, considering the timing of the onset... of course the orthodontist just says "well all your teeth are moving it's going to hurt".

Any suggestions are welcome.

[wewannabebad2]

I went thru the same thing when I had my braces and had to wear headgear. It should ease up, mine did within 2 weeks. Try hot showers it may loosen you up.

[JustAskJulie]

Originally Posted by wewannabebad2

I went thru the same thing when I had my braces and had to wear headgear. It should ease up, mine did within 2 weeks. Try hot showers it may loosen you up.

I'm going on 2 months of this... with a month of physical therapy
Also, no headgear, just the top braces so far... I won't have the bottom ones for probably 2 more months.

[knb2004]

Vodka?

[gatorvol64]

Did you mention this to your chiropractor? I ask only because I suffer from TMJ and he's been able to adjust my jaw (activator method not manual adjustment). Quite frankly, he's helped with this more than any medication. That could be because I have a high tolerance for meds.

Vol

[Chicup]

Originally Posted by gatorvol64

Did you mention this to your chiropractor? I ask only because I suffer from TMJ and he's been able to adjust my jaw (activator method not manual adjustment). Quite frankly, he's helped with this more than any medication. That could be because I have a high tolerance for meds.

Vol

Get a soft night guard, good for years and should be cheaper than the visits.

[gatorvol64]

Originally Posted by Chicup

Get a soft night guard, good for years and should be cheaper than the visits.

Tried that. I don't know why, but I spit them out every time (gag reflex?). I do see the chiropractor for other things. Julie has one as well is why i mentioned it.

That was good advice. I appreciate it. Stress causes me to grit and grind my teeth. Over the years I've been trying to face life with a new attitude. I'm not stress free by any means but I also do not have flare ups nearly as often.

Vol

[Chicup]

Originally Posted by gatorvol64

Tried that. I don't know why, but I spit them out every time (gag reflex?). I do see the chiropractor for other things. Julie has one as well is why i mentioned it.

That was good advice. I appreciate it. Stress causes me to grit and grind my teeth. Over the years I've been trying to face life with a new attitude. I'm not stress free by any means but I also do not have flare ups nearly as often.

Vol

Was it custom made? The store onesize fits all are pretty miserable. Too thick and poor fitting.

The problem is most dentists make night guards too thick for TMJ issues too, and often use the hard kind. Best is a soft one that molds around the teeth kinda like a bleeching tray only out of a squishy material.

[avid]

My partner used a night guard for a while - it was a good quality one recommended by a dentist friend. If it didn't gag him right away, then he found it embedded in his ear when he woke up in the morning. He gave it a good try, though.

I agree that the activator is a good chiropractic tool for use in and around the jaw. It's precise and very gentle.

Another suggestion, which is low intervention but I've found effective, is craniosacral therapy, which works by touching pressure points. Many chiropractors do it. Ask yours if he or she does it.

I'm sorry for your pain. When my daughter had braces, she almost always had a day or so of pain after getting them tightened. I imagine it must be harder for an adult.

[JustAskJulie]

Originally Posted by Chicup

Get a soft night guard, good for years and should be cheaper than the visits.

I can't use a nightguard with the braces. I actually looked at a couple of them and they all said they can't be used with braces. I asked the ortho about this and he said I could use one on the bottom until the bottom braces go on, but that it wouldn't actually keep me from grinding, only reduce the effect on my teeth. So what I gather from that is that it wouldn't actually reduce the tension or the pain.

Originally Posted by gatorvol64

Did you mention this to your chiropractor? I ask only because I suffer from TMJ and he's been able to adjust my jaw (activator method not manual adjustment). Quite frankly, he's helped with this more than any medication. That could be because I have a high tolerance for meds.

Vol

I did. I saw him yesterday for the first time during all of this. He looked at my neck and said "hmm... your neck is crooked". He did a major adjustment and I have to say it did help a lot. I slept a good bit better last night than I have in a while. He wanted me to come back today but my car is in the shop so I'll go back tomorrow.

From a Private message:

Thats not 'normal' your teeth shouldn't hurt much after the first few weeks.

I wonder if your orthodontist is 'old school' and using too heavy a force.

My teeth actually aren't hurting much anymore, it's just my head. I think what happened was early on when the spacers went in I was grinding my teeth a lot and that caused a lot of tension in my head and neck. The grinding has slacked off since the braces went on, but I'm still doing it more than I did before the spacers went in. The tension in my neck and head is causing the headaches... which are mostly tension headaches but every few days spike into a migraine.

[likeitalot04]

More sex!

[SnowwwWhite]

I had braces so I totally sympathize with you!

There are lots of great suggestions here on dealing with the neck tension and headaches... here's one you may not have heard of... the Miracle Method Balls. I'd been eyeing them at the bookstore for awhile (yeah, they sell them at the book store oddly enough), and I finally picked up a set. They're only like $10 and come with a little book.

I have to say I've been astounded at their ability to reduce my neck pain. I have chronic neck pain that isn't helped in any way by my extreme sports-loving lifestyle... and against the advice of my chiro I can't quit the outdoors... so I just deal with the pain... well these balls are awesome. Can't believe something so simple and small could actually work... you should give it a shot... at $10 there's nothing to lose. Let me know if they work out!