Migraine Headache
Do you suffer from throbbing headaches in your head or face? It could be an Orofacial migraine headache.
Migraines aren’t just “bad headaches.” They are a neurological condition that can cause severe, disabling pain and a range of other symptoms such as nausea, sensitivity to light or sound, and visual disturbances.
At Advanced TMJ Maxillofacial Pain & Sleep Center, we help patients find relief through evidence-based tailored care to their unique migraine management strategy.
What Are Migraines?
A migraine is a recurrent headache disorder that can last from a few hours to several days. Unlike tension-type headaches, migraines often include neurological symptoms—such as aura, dizziness, or sensory changes. Migraines may be episodic (occasional) or chronic (occurring 15+ days a month).
Migraines often run in families and can be influenced by genetics, hormones, lifestyle, and environmental triggers.
What are the types Migraine disorders?
1. Migraine Without Aura
-
The most common type.
-
Causes moderate to severe throbbing pain (often one-sided), worsens with activity, and may include nausea, light, and sound sensitivity.
-
Attacks can last 4–72 hours.
2. Migraine With Aura
-
Involves warning symptoms before or during the headache.
-
Aura can include flashing lights, zig-zag patterns, blind spots, tingling, or speech changes.
-
Aura typically lasts 5–60 minutes, followed by head pain.
3. Chronic Migraine
-
When migraine symptoms occur 15 or more days a month for more than 3 months.
-
At least 8 of those days have migraine-like features.
-
Can be very disabling and often overlaps with tension-type headaches.
4. Vestibular Migraine
-
Causes dizziness, balance problems, motion sensitivity, or vertigo, sometimes with or without head pain.
-
Often misdiagnosed as a balance disorder.
5. Hemiplegic Migraine
-
A rare form where aura includes temporary weakness or paralysis on one side of the body.
-
Can mimic a stroke and requires careful evaluation.
6. Retinal Migraine
-
Involves temporary vision loss or visual disturbances in one eye.
-
Usually short-lived but needs prompt medical attention to rule out other causes.
7. Orofacial Migraine
-
Presents mainly as facial or jaw pain, sometimes mistaken for toothache, sinus problems, or TMJ disorder.
-
Pain is throbbing or pulsating, lasts 4–72 hours, and may shift sides.
-
Often accompanied by migraine features such as light sensitivity, nausea, or aura.
-
Requires careful diagnosis to avoid unnecessary dental or sinus treatments.
Who is affected by migraine disorders?
Migraines are extremely common—affecting more than 1 in 7 people worldwide—but they don’t affect everyone in the same way.
-
Gender – Women are about 3 times more likely than men to experience migraines, often linked to hormonal changes (menstrual cycles, pregnancy, menopause).
-
Age – Migraines often begin in the teen or young adult years, peaking between ages 20–50, but they can occur at any age—even in children.
-
Genetics – Migraines tend to run in families. If one parent has migraines, a child has about a 40% chance of developing them; if both parents do, the risk rises to over 70%.
-
Lifestyle & Health Conditions – Stress, poor sleep, TMJ disorders, and other chronic pain conditions can make migraines more frequent or severe.
-
Geography & Environment – Factors like weather changes, altitude, and environmental triggers (bright light, strong smells) can influence migraine occurrence.
Migraines are one of the leading causes of disability worldwide, impacting work, family life, and social activities. The good news: with the right diagnosis and tailored treatment, many people find meaningful relief and get back to living fully.
What are the typical symptoms of a Migraine Headache?
-
Throbbing or pulsating head pain (often one-sided)
-
Nausea or vomiting
-
Sensitivity to light, sound, or smells
-
Visual changes (flashing lights, blind spots, zig-zags)
-
Dizziness or difficulty concentrating
-
Neck or jaw discomfort accompanying head pain
How are Migraines diagnosed?
Migraines don’t show up on a blood test or X-ray. Instead, diagnosis is made through a detailed medical history and clinical evaluation. At Advanced TMJ Maxillofacial Pain & Sleep Center, we take time to carefully assess your symptoms and rule out other causes of head and facial pain.
Our diagnostic approach includes:
-
Comprehensive history – When did the headaches start, how often do they occur, what triggers them, and what other symptoms (like nausea, aura, or light sensitivity) accompany them.
-
Symptom pattern – Whether the pain is pulsating, one-sided, worsens with activity, or lasts 4–72 hours (classic migraine features per ICHD-3 criteria).
-
Physical exam – Evaluating head, neck, jaw, and facial muscles to check for tension, TMJ disorders, or other overlapping pain sources.
-
Exclusion of secondary causes – Making sure the headaches aren’t due to another medical condition such as sinus disease, dental infection, or neurological disorder.
-
Specialized tools (when needed) – TMJ imaging, sleep studies, or referral to neurology for further evaluation.
Migraines are diagnosed when the pattern of attacks matches established criteria (like those from the International Classification of Headache Disorders) and when other possible causes have been ruled out.
What are the Triggers for migraines?
Migraines don’t show up on a blood test or X-ray. Instead, diagnosis is made through a detailed medical history and clinical evaluation. At Advanced TMJ Maxillofacial Pain & Sleep Center, we take time to carefully assess your symptoms and rule out other causes of head and facial pain.
Our diagnostic approach includes:
-
Comprehensive history – When did the headaches start, how often do they occur, what triggers them, and what other symptoms (like nausea, aura, or light sensitivity) accompany them.
-
Symptom pattern – Whether the pain is pulsating, one-sided, worsens with activity, or lasts 4–72 hours (classic migraine features per ICHD-3 criteria).
-
Physical exam – Evaluating head, neck, jaw, and facial muscles to check for tension, TMJ disorders, or other overlapping pain sources.
-
Exclusion of secondary causes – Making sure the headaches aren’t due to another medical condition such as sinus disease, dental infection, or neurological disorder.
-
Specialized tools (when needed) – TMJ imaging, sleep studies, or referral to neurology for further evaluation.
Migraines are diagnosed when the pattern of attacks matches established criteria (like those from the International Classification of Headache Disorders) and when other possible causes have been ruled out.
Do I need a brain MRI if I suffer from Migraines?
Most people with migraines do not need a brain MRI. Migraines are diagnosed primarily by history and symptoms. However, in certain cases, imaging is recommended to rule out other causes of headache.
When an MRI may be considered:
-
New or sudden-onset headaches (“the worst headache of your life”)
-
Headaches that are progressively getting worse or changing in pattern
-
Neurological symptoms that don’t fit a typical migraine aura (such as persistent weakness, vision loss in one eye, or difficulty speaking outside of an aura window)
-
Headaches after a head injury
-
Headaches accompanied by seizures, fever, or other concerning signs
-
A first migraine occurring after age 50
Why it matters:
-
MRI helps rule out structural or vascular conditions (tumors, aneurysms, stroke, sinus disease, etc.).
-
For the majority of patients, a careful history and clinical exam are enough to confirm a migraine diagnosis—without unnecessary testing.
At Advanced TMJ Maxillofacial Pain & Sleep Center, we work closely with neurology and radiology when an MRI is appropriate, ensuring you get the right level of care while avoiding unnecessary procedures.
How are Migraines treated?
There isn’t a single “cure” for migraines, but with the right plan, many people can reduce how often attacks happen, shorten their duration, and make them less intense.
At Advanced TMJ Maxillofacial Pain & Sleep Center, we focus on non-surgical, evidence-based treatments that target both the neurological and musculoskeletal factors contributing to migraines.
