What is the connection between migraines, sleep apnea, and TMD ?

What is the connection between migraines, sleep apnea, and TMD ?

Both quantity and quality of sleep, as well as adequate pain management, are essential for humans. Physical wellness, emotional health, brain activity, everyday function, and pain management depend on getting enough sleep. Pain can result from an abnormal pain modulation system, and chronic pain is linked to sleep issues. Have you ever had discomfort in the temporomandibular joint, commonly known as your jawbone? Researchers and medical professionals are becoming increasingly familiar with the concept that temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disease and obstructive sleep apnea may be related. The positioning of the throat’s soft tissues affects the airway’s capacity to stay open and unhindered at sleep. Painful symptoms are a hallmark of TMJ disease. In certain circumstances, TMJ dysfunction may be the cause of migraines. Numerous studies support the notion that there is a link between sleep apnea, migraines, and tmd. People must know what is the connection between migraines, sleep apnea, and TMD.

The connection between headaches, TMJ disorder, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)

What is sleep apnea?

If your breathing abruptly or frequently ceases and begins when you sleep, you have sleep apnea. Common signs of

sleep apnea involve:

  • Snoring loudly
  • Periods of halted breathing while sleeping
  • Elevated blood pressure
  • An unexplained headache in the morning
  • Mood swings, such as sadness or anger
  • The sudden sense of choking or gasping during the nighttime awakening
  • Having a dry mouth or painful throat when you wake up
  • There are no additional health issues linked to nighttime sweating
  • Lack of concentration

What is TMD?

Your temporomandibular joint, or TMJ, is a tiny joint that attaches your jaw to your skull. Nevertheless, TMD stands for temporomandibular joint disorder and is a term for a number of problems related to TMJ. TMD typically results in a wide range of various issues all across the body, producing a wide range of symptoms. In clinical studies, women were more likely than men to report having TMD symptoms, headaches, painful muscles, and joint noises (Magnusson T et al., 2000). Among the many signs and symptoms of TMD, here are a few:

  • Headaches and migraines
  • Problems with balance
  • mood swings
  • Irritability
  • Anxiety
  • Tinnitus
  • Muscle spasm in the jaw area
  • concerns with posture
  • Locked jaw
  • Obstructive sleep apnea
  • Irritability

TMD is frequently treated with the following:

  • Anti-inflammatory drugs or muscle relaxants
  • nightguards or mouth guards
  • injections of corticosteroids to treat pain
  • Surgery is used in the most extreme circumstances
  • Muscle relaxation with Botox injections
  • To address the underlying issues creating your jaw clenching, seek counseling for stress.
  • Stretching exercises and massage

How are sleep apnea and TMJ linked?

According to medical studies, approximately half of those with TMJ often experience sleep issues. According to research, 43% of TMJ sufferers experience sleeping issues. Obstructive sleep apnea patients frequently have an airway occlusion, which drives the body to move the lower jaw forward to reopen the airflow. The TMJ’s continuous movement increases the probability of developing sleep apnea during sleep. During the day, the Geniohyoids, muscles under the tongue, contract to pull the tongue away from the airway and throat. However, this compensatory mechanism disappears when we sleep on our backs. When the airway collapses, breathing may cease until the brain “wakes” you up to breathe again after cleansing the throat or inhaling deeply. TMD is frequently associated with long-term fatigue syndrome, which can worsen your sleep apnea and harm your general health. Chronic TMD can induce recurring, regular, or persistent discomfort in the masticatory system, TMJ, or TMJ-related muscles (S Raghavendra Prasad, N Ravi Kumar, […], and SD Kalavathi, 2016). Check about the relationship between your jaw’s posture and your airway. The connection between sleep apnea and TMD follows naturally from this.

The role of pain

OSA prevents you from getting enough oxygen and restorative sleep. The blood arteries expand in response to a shortage of oxygen and can cause pain, particularly headaches. Undoubtedly, there are several varieties of headaches. Sinus, Cluster, Tension, and Migraine are the four main types of headaches. A substantial number of findings indicate that OSA is connected to chronic pain conditions, such as temporomandibular disorder (TMD). TMD is a musculoskeletal condition characterized by ongoing discomfort in the temporomandibular joint, periauricular area, and masticatory muscles.

Sleep apnea and migraines: is there a connection?

As migraine is a complex condition, the processes relating it to sleep apnea are less commonly known. There are various possible connections between the treatment of sleep apnea and the relief of migraine. First, jaw clenching overnight may cause trigeminal nerve discomfort. Additionally, elevated blood pressure is among the most typical signs of sleep apnea, and migraines are partially vascular, suggesting a potential vascular connection. Sleep Apnea can cause migraine attacks. Sleep apnea patients frequently experience irritation and anxiety, which can aggravate migraines. It is essential to discuss the potential link between migraine and sleep apnea with a physician or sleep dentist if you get persistent migraines and wake up feeling fatigued.

How Migraines and Sleep Apnea Affect the Brain?

Steady brain damage is a disappointing link between sleep apnea and migraines. Both ailments might result in the following if they are not controlled:

  • Depression
  • Hypertension
  • Risk of stroke

So what should a migraine sufferer with sleep apnea do?

Different treatments are available for sleep disturbances and migraines separately, but Cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia may be a great choice to assist both symptoms. Cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia entails behavioral interventions that assist you in learning how to unwind, develop healthier sleeping patterns, and redefine your perspective on sleep. According to research thus far, it is both safe and reasonably effective over the long term.

A 2016 research of CBTi reported that after three 30-minute, biweekly sessions, headaches were dramatically decreased in patients with both sleeping problems and migraines. Contrary to the control group, migraine and sleep both improved after that.

Sleep apnea treatment that minimizes TMJ disorder

An oral appliance (the type suggested by your therapist) for sleep apnea would relax jaw muscles by realigning the jaw, repositioning the jaw, releasing tension in the jaw joint, and establishing appropriate alignment. Oral appliances (OAs) are a successful therapy for OSA because they widen and stabilize the pharyngeal airway to reduce breathing obstructions during sleep (Kate Sutherland, Peter A. Cistulli, 2019). Extra soft tissue that obstructs airflow may be avoided with a personalized mouth guard. Consult a dentist with expertise in handling sleep apnea situations because TMJ and sleep apnea symptoms sometimes combine and mirror one another. An expert dentist can treat it professionally without significant loss by skillfully treating it.

Why opt for MedsDental billing company for your dental practice

To maintain compliance with the law and be compensated for providing oral appliances, dentists and dental practices must keep a careful eye on any legal changes that impact the accessibility of such items. It becomes difficult for a dentist to keep informed and adjust to new regulations because the guidelines and paperwork criteria constantly expand and change. To lessen this pressure, MedsDental Dental Billing Company is available to you. We have a team of skilled coders to employ valid codes for oral appliances to treat sleep apnea. Our goal is to boost income for your dental business and improve billing accuracy; thus, we have skilled staff for this job. We use reliable, current software and technologies to enhance our services and results. Additionally, because the security of patient information and records is required, we adhere to HIPAA regulations and install HIPAA-compliant services to help your clinic avoid fines. Hire our company to benefit financially from a variety of our services.

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