Migraines are a recurring problem for countless Americans; however, medical experts still aren’t entirely sure why they occur. Recently, a team of experts took a close look at a group of migraine sufferers to see if they could find any noticeable differences within their brains. Ultimately, their research revealed an important discovery, which could point toward better treatments down the road.
Structural Differences
A study out of the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine found specific structural characteristics in the brains of migraine sufferers that differ from people who don’t get these debilitating headaches. Appearing in the journal PLOS ONE, the research focused on 170 people who fit within one of three groups: those who suffered from migraines, those who suffered from migraines with visual aura, and those who didn’t suffer from any type of migraines at all. After studying each subject’s brain, the researchers noticed differences in blood vessel structure within the brains of migraine sufferers. In the end, they believe this may explain why changes in blood flow tend to trigger migraines; they also think their discovery could point toward more effective migraine remedies at some point in the near future.
Until that Day
Sadly, migraine sufferers tend to have great difficulty finding medications or treatments that reduce headache occurrence. On the other hand, some people are more fortunate, because their chronic headaches aren’t really migraines at all.
Is it Actually TMJ Disorder?
Quite often, people believe they are suffering from chronic migraine headaches, when they are actually experiencing a common symptom of temporomandibular joint disorder. Besides causing jaw popping, chewing problems, tinnitus and jaw pain; TMD also causes severe headaches which seem very similar to migraines.
Get an Evaluation
If you suffer from severe chronic headaches in addition to other common symptoms of TMD, schedule a consultation with Dr. Dunayer. During your visit, he will evaluate your jaw to see if you have TMJ disorder. If so, he’ll offer an effective TMD treatment that will have you feeling better in no time. To learn more contact his office today.
