Neurovascular pains: implications of migraine for the oral and maxillofacial surgeon.

Oral Maxillofac Surg Clin North Am. 2008 May;20(2):221-35, vi-vii.
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Neurovascular pains: implications of migraine for the oral and maxillofacial surgeon.
Nixdorf DR, Velly AM, Alonso AA.
Division of TMD and Orofacial Pain, University of Minnesota, School of Dentistry, 515 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. nixdorf@umn.edu
Epidemiologic studies have shown that migraine headaches are a common finding in the general population, often associated with a high degree of disability. Additionally, migraine has a reported comorbidity with other medical conditions, most notably with chronic pains, such as temporomandibular disorders. The pathophysiologic mechanisms involved with migraine are suggestive of an increased and prolonged hyperexcitability to stimuli, especially within the trigeminal distribution. Because migraine is mediated by branches of the trigeminal nerve it has the potential to mimic other types of pains, such as toothache or sinusitis. It is therefore recommended that oral and maxillofacial surgeons be familiar with the diagnostic criteria for migraine headaches to identify and appropriately treat such individuals who present to their clinics.
PMID: 18343327 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
PMCID: PMC2467394