What the NERVE!

Stimulation of the trigeminal nerve can cause a range of symptoms, including eye symptoms, nasal congestion, pain in the teeth, tinnitus, and even facial droop.   These symptoms can persist between migraines if the nerve gets irritated frequently enough and are often mistaken for other ailments instead of migraine symptoms.

This is key here-read that again…

These symptoms can persist between migraines if the nerve gets irritated frequently enough and are often mistaken for other ailments instead of migraine symptoms. 

Nerve pain can feel like burning, aching, tingling, numbness, and weakness and can cause muscle cramping and even bone degeneration.

Many people with migraines experience pain or other symptoms in different areas of the head and may seek treatment from specialists like an ENT, ophthalmologist, dentist, or ear doctor…. many hours and dollars are spent on trying to figure out what's wrong when the answer has been there all along-MIGRAINE!

However, it's important to understand that all of these symptoms are neurological in nature and are related to the brain.  When the trigeminal nerve is irritated, the most common complaint is a pain in the upper neck and/or temporomandibular joint (TMJ).

Sound familiar-neck and jaw pain?

These particular areas together are called The Trigeminocervical Complex (TCC).

Yup, it’s no surprise that many people with migraines also experience jaw and/or neck pain.  However, it's essential to recognize that if you only experience jaw and/or neck pain during a migraine, it's likely part of the migraine.

If you have neck and/or jaw pain between migraine attacks, then it's possible that there are issues with your neck or jaw and you should seek medical attention.  The trigeminal nerve may release chemicals that cause painful inflammation in the blood vessels of the brain and trigger their expansion, causing pressure on the brain.  This pressure, along with inflammation, is responsible for the throbbing pain, nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound that are often associated with migraines.

Overall, migraines involve the trigeminovascular system, which is the trigeminal nerve and the blood vessels of the brain.

Understanding how the trigeminal nerve and its associated symptoms are related to migraines can help you focus on the right area for relief saving you money as well as wasting time in pain.

Have you ever thought your neck, jaw, or sinus pain was something other than migraines?  I sure did!!