Headaches

Are you one of the 39 million Americans living with chronic migraines or headaches that just don't go away?

We diagnose and treat:

• migraines
• tension headaches
• cluster headaches
• cervicogenic headache (back of head and neck) 

...and many other types of headaches

Dr. Elenbaas takes an integrative approach to provide relief and prevent new ones from developing. Call our office to schedule a headache evaluation or book a consultation online today. 

What is a headache?

A headache describes persistent pain in your head or face. Headache pain can range from a dull ache to an intense, throbbing head and facial pain.

There are two classes of headaches:

Primary headaches

A primary headache is when the headache itself is the main problem and not a symptom of underlying disease or condition.

Migraine, tension headaches, hemicranial headaches, and cluster headaches are common primary headaches examples.

Secondary headaches

Secondary headaches result from injuries such as whiplash or underlying health conditions such as sinus infections, brain tumors, or meningitis. You can also experience secondary head pain when tears, swellings, clots, or bleeding occurs in your brain, which requires immediate medical attention.

How are headaches treated?

Your treatment plan for headaches depends on your type and the severity of your symptoms.

When over-the-counter medications can’t provide lasting pain relief, Dr. Elenbaas may prescribe stronger medications that reduce nerve inflammation or muscle tension that contributes to headache pain. You may also need medications and other treatments for underlying health conditions that cause recurrent headaches.

Because your lifestyle can play a role in headaches, Dr. Elenbaas can also recommend changes you can make to prevent new headaches and migraines. These changes can include the following:

• Engaging in daily exercise
• Eating a healthy diet
• Taking vitamin supplements
• Managing stress
• Getting massages

Dr. Elenbaas continues to monitor your progress with treatment during regular follow-up visits. She can adjust your medications to ensure you stay pain-free and healthy.

How are headaches attributed to TMD?

The Remedy Clinic specializes in providing treatment for temporomandibular  disorders (TMD/TMJ) headaches while simultaneously targeting other contributing  factors. Headaches originating from the TMJ can have various referral patterns,  meaning the pain may be felt in areas other than the actual joint itself. Some  common referral patterns from the TMJ include: 

1. Temporal Region: TMJ-caused pain can be felt on one or both the sides of the head, around the temples, or behind the eyes and may be mistaken for tension type headaches, migraines or Trigeminal Autonomic Cephalgia (TAC) headaches. 
2. Neck and Shoulders: TMJ-related headaches may radiate to the neck  and shoulders, leading to tension-type pain in these muscular areas.  Conversely, pain in the neck and shoulders may refer back to TMJ. For  example, a Headache attributed to Whiplash may happen when the neck and shoulders are injured but maybe felt in the TMJ. 
3. Back of the Head: Problems with the TMJ can refer to the back of the  head and upper neck, sometimes resembling cervicogenic headaches. 4. Sinus symptoms: Midface migraines may manifest as sinus symptoms,  with pain felt in the sinus region. 
4. Ear Region: TMJ issues may refer discomfort or pain to the ears, often  mimicking earaches. 
5. Cheek and Jaw: TMJ-caused pain can be felt in the cheeks and along the  jawline, sometimes resembling toothaches.

Within the trigeminocervical complex lies the Trigeminal Nucleus Caudalis, serving as  a pain relay system for the head and neck. Similar to a two-way street, pain signals can  interfere with each other, resulting in pain being referred to different areas. Patients  with TMD may experience headaches, neckaches, facial pain, or tooth pain, which can  be triggered or prolonged by this complex interaction.1,2 Understanding the causes of  referred pain is crucial for effectively managing headaches caused by TMD. 

Call Remedy Clinic to schedule a comprehensive headache evaluation, or book an appointment online today. 

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