Headache Treatment

Headache & Migraine Relief

A headache, or cephalalgia, is a continuous pain or discomfort in the head that affects the head, temples, eyes, nose, skin, or entire head. The pain from a headache can be either sharp or dull and is classified as primary or secondary. Headaches, such as migraine headaches, run in families. Studies show that approximately 20 percent of children and adolescents experience some sort of headache. Of the individuals who develop headaches, 70 percent of them are women. More than 45 million Americans experience some kind of headache. More than half of them are migraine headaches. Headaches are the most common reason for lost days at work and school. Schedule an evaluation with Brain C. McDowell, DDS to discuss treatment for headache relief at our Fitchburg office.

Types Of Headaches

Primary headaches are categorized into types. There are four types of headaches:

• Tension, the most common primary headache
• Migraine is a vascular headache that is related to changes in the brain
• Cluster, a severe but less common form of headache
• Combination, a combination of a migraine and tension headache

Secondary headaches are the product of a medical condition and can include some of the following:

• Sinus headache
• Hormonal headache
• Encephalitis
• Concussion
• Glaucoma
• Flu
• Stroke

Causes Of Headaches

Physical Triggers

• Poor posture
• Sitting in one position for too long of a time
• Sleeping in a position that places the neck, head, and spine out of alignment
• Teeth grinding
• Jaw clenching
• Physical exertion
• Skipped meals
• Alcohol use
• Illegal drug use
• Arthritis
• Medication
• Hormonal changes
• Infection
• Hypertension

Environmental Triggers

• Food allergies
• Sensitivity to food additives
• Excess consumption of caffeine
• Changes in barometric pressure
• Exposure to noise or light

Psychological Triggers

• Lack of sleep
• Emotional conflicts
• Depression
• Grief
• Fatigue

Treatment And Prevention Of Headaches

We take a neuromuscular approach to treating headaches. Most headaches are tension related, even if they appear as migraine or cluster-type headaches. With over 30 years of experience and training, Dr. Brian McDowell has taken advanced courses from the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies (LVIF) and has completed his Fellowship through the institute. We have found that a bad bite, in most cases, is the cause of most headaches. Headaches occur because, with a bad bite, the head and neck muscles have to work extra hard to function. Once these muscles become overworked, headaches are a common occurrence. We use a computer program to make sure we have our muscles relaxed. Once we verify that we have your jaw and muscles relaxed, the headaches resolve!

“Dr. McDowell told me what my problem was, and he was absolutely right! In just a week, wearing my Neuromuscular Orthotic all the time, the tightness that I have had in my neck for 8 months was completely gone along with the muffled hearing and headaches! I feel great and have already told different people about my experience and will continue to do so. Thank you for everything you have done for me.”

~Claudette P. from Gardner, MA

Schedule A Consultation At Brian McDowell, DDS

Call our Fitchburg dental practice at (978) 252-2049 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Brian McDowell. With our advanced training in neuromuscular dentistry, Dr. Brian McDowell continues to provide patients with headache relief from Fitchburg, Leominster, Westminster, Gardner, Lunenburg, and many surrounding areas.