Muscles and Migraine

WHAT IS A MUSCLE?
      A muscle is a living tissue with a specific job to do.

HOW IS A CITY LIKE A MUSCLE?
      A city is like a muscle because it needs the following:

 
     A city needs workers to take food into it and to distribute that food throughout its boundaries.  As long as the air does not become polluted, the city is healthy.  As long as the garbage is collected and taken away, the city is a welcoming place.  If there is a blockage or barrier to the flow of food, clean air or garbage transportation systems into or out of the city, then problems begin to arise.

WHAT DOES A MUSCLE NEED?

A muscle has to be fed, rested and have its waste products removed.

WHAT DO MUSCLES DO?

Each muscle is designed for a specific purpose and has its own special requirements. A muscle always pulls or contracts to move something, such as a bone.

WHAT MIGHT CAUSE SOME MUSCLES TO HAVE TO WORK HARDER THAN WHAT THEY WERE DESIGNED TO DO?

     Muscles must work harder if they have to overcome some Interference.  This means that they will eventually become unable to work properly and can even go into spasm.  This happens with our jaw muscles and causes Migraine pain.

WHAT CAUSES INTERFERENCE?

     Interference is caused by a tooth or teeth acting as a blockage preventing the proper chewing of your food.  Just like an accident on a highway blocks the transportation of food into the city and the garbage out of the city, so a tooth or teeth can act as a form of Interference to block the flow of nutrients and oxygen to the various muscles of the jaw, as well as preventing removal of the waste products such as carbon dioxide

WHY IS INTERFERENCE BAD FOR THE MUSCLES?

     Interference is bad for jaw muscles because it means that if your jaw cannot move sideways to get the shearing force that you need to chew your food properly, then more pressure must be applied in the area that your jaw can actually move in.

HOW DOES THIS PROCESS BECOME A VICIOUS CYCLE?

     This process of your jaw muscles working harder to enable your teeth to prepare your food for swallowing becomes a vicious cycle when the demands made on the muscles are more than the blood vessels can handle to supply those muscles with their own food and waste removal to continue working.

WHAT IS THE RESULT?

     The result is Migraine pain. In other words, the assembly line has too many demands made upon it, and breaks down.

     Migraine pain is your body's way of telling you that your jaw muscles are being asked to do more work than they can handle at that time.  They need rest and so they call a "strike" in the form of Migraine pain to get your attention.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

When the muscles have had a chance to stop working, they begin to unwind and relax or "recharge" themselves.  Your Migraine pain goes away.  But the reason for your pain  (the Interference) remains.

NOW WHAT?
     Just like the city workers clear away the food, air and waste removal blockage so that the city can function once more, the Dentist must eliminate the Dental Blockage, that is, the Interference,  so that  any one or combination of the 16 Migraine Triggers found in your mouth can be removed.

REMEMBER: INTERFERENCE CAUSES MUSCLE SPASM THAT LEADS TO MIGRAINE SYMPTOMS.  Back to Top of Page