Headaches and facial pain due to problems with the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) affect many more women than men. A recent review in the Journal of the American Dental Association looked at the reasons for this disparity.
Numerous studies have demonstrated that women are at higher risk for many clinical pain conditions and evidence suggests that women and men do not experience pain the same way or to the same degree. Differences in a woman’s anatomy and hormonal features may be the reason. According to Dr. Thuan Dao of the University of Toronto the sex difference in orofacial pain start at puberty, peak during the childbearing years and start to decline at menopause.
Unfortunately many women who experience facial pain, headaches and neck pain due to temporomandibular joint problems may spend years seeking a correct diagnosis. Many of the symptoms mimic other conditions or they may be simply dismissed as psychosomatic.
TMJ pain is real and it is debilitating. Only a dentist who has been trained in neuromuscular dentistry truly has the background and experience to understand the complex relationship between the jaw joint, surrounding muscles and proper bite.
If you experience frequent headaches, feel pain in your jaw, neck or upper back, hear a popping noise in your jaw or your ears feel stuffy or “full” you may have a TMJ disorder. Appropriate treatment can relieve your pain without a lifetime of pills. TMJ pain is not only experienced by women – many men simply ignore their symptoms.
Please contact Beverly Hills neuromuscular dentist Dr. David Frey at 310-276-4537 to schedule your consultation.
