A recent study by the National Institute of Health (NIH) has revealed that patients who suffer from debilitating migraine headaches may be at an increased risk for developing another painful condition: temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMJD for short. Temporomandibular joint disorder is a condition of the temporomandibular joint, which connects the jaw to the rest of the skull. The disorder occurs when the temporomandibular joint becomes out of alignment, causing everything from pain and soreness of the jaw to tinnitus; teeth grinding (also known as bruxism); head, neck and back aches; and the inability to open and close the mouth and jaw.
According to Bellmore, New York, neuromuscular dentistry specialist Dr. Gary Lederman, an estimated 15 percent of the population suffers from temporomandibular joint disorder - and some of those people could also be suffering from migraine headaches.