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Daily Mail article (revised article)-
17th September 2002 in the Good Health section
by Martyn Halle |
I cured my migraine in my
sleep...
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 A new mouthguard is helping dentists bring
relief to patients suffering from migraine. The Tension Suppression System (TSS) is
estimated to have helped more than 500,000 people around the world.
Now it is being made available to many in the UK who are laid low by the agonising
headaches. When fitted over the front teeth, the tiny clear plastic device prevents
grinding and the clenching of facial muscles which often leads to migraines.
It is not clear how many people suffer from the effects of grinding teeth in the UK, but
dentists estimate around 6 million. Not all get migraines. However a significant number of
migraine suffers seem to have their condition aggravated by grinding. The link has been
established for many years but nobody has devised a way to relieve the pain it causes.
There are tooth-grinding guards, which cover the whole mouth. But because all the teeth
still have a surface to grind against, some of the tension remains. The new device is
hardly noticeable on the two front upper teeth. If the mouth closes, it prevents the back
teeth from coming into contact with each other, so the clenching or grinding is not
possible - reducing the likelihood of a migraine. Researchers have found that migraine
victims clench the temporalis muscles, which cover the side of the skull, during sleep
more intensely than those who do not experience them.
‘Migraine can be debilitating and once a bad attack has started it often has to run
its course, although drugs can bring some relief,’ says Anne Turner director of the
Migraine Association. ‘Once a migraine has been triggered it can be hours, sometimes
days, before a sufferer feels well enough to resume their normal life’. More women
than men are laid low by such headaches. Nobody is quite sure why, but neurologists
believe hormonal changes might make women more susceptible.
Californian dentist Jim Boyd invented the mouth guard after suffering from migraine and
jaw problems for more than 12 years. ‘I was having a wretched time with headaches and
migraines, which normally came on waking up’ he says. ‘I found that my jaw was
tense in the morning and that I seemed to have been clenching my teeth during my sleep.
I’ve worn the device for the last 10 years and no longer get migraines’.
A trial of the TSS for the American Food and Drugs Administration found that 82 per cent
of users experienced a 77 per cent reduction in their migraine pain, and many reported
being migraine free for months. Those suffering from teeth pain or migraine wore the guard
at night, although it can be worn during the day as well. A number of dentists around the
UK are already beginning to fit the device.
London dentist Rory Linden Kelly, of Holford and Partners, says: ‘The forces
generated by teeth clenching and grinding are enormous - about 10 lb per square inch -
sometimes more. That’s equivalent to the force required to crack a nut with a
nutcracker.’ ‘I don’t think people realise how much tension they are
building up in their head and other parts of their body from pressure in the mouth.
‘It’s an easy device to fit. It is similar in style and design to braces and
plates worn by children to correct the teeth. It comes as a kit from the manufacturers and
I make modifications for the individual. It can normally be done in one appointment.
Case Studies
Sue from Harrow, Middlesex, a 50 year-old administrator for a firm of City
traders, had a TSS fitted and says:
I've had severe migraines for 30 years and thought I would never be free of them. But 6
months after using the device I’ve hardly had any, certainly not a severe attack.
I’ve tried various migraine pills over the years. But once the pain had started I
didn’t get much relief. I just had to go to bed and wait for it to go away.
I had been grinding my teeth in my sleep for years but it never occurred to me that there
was a link between that and migraine.
My husband, Michael, was aware of the teeth grinding, although I wasn’t, and I
don’t do it during the day.
The migraines were so severe that they would frequently incapacitate me for days. I had
intense searing pains through my skull and I had to lie down with my eyes closed in a
darkened room because the light made the pain worse.
I heard about the device from Dr Linden Kelly, who is a friend, although not my
dentist. I decided to give it a try because I had nothing to lose after three decades of
suffering.
It took a few weeks to begin to work, but now I wouldn’t go a night without putting
it in. When I’ve left it out I’ve noticed the difference and the tension in my
head and shoulders comes back.’
Further Testimonials
' For the past 15 years or more,
I've suffered from severe headaches on a depressingly regular basis - two-three weekly
at best and at worst, every few days. More recently I started to experience pain in my
neck and shoulders, particularly on one side and then in my jaw and ear. None of the usual
pain medication has helped with these problems and neither has homeopathy, osteopathy or
acupuncture. The relief after using NTI-TSS for just a couple of nights was incredible - a
definite easing of tension- and within a fortnight I felt better than I had in years. Now
I've had my teeth adjusted to make the bite more even, so that I no longer have to rely on
the NTI-TSS. Two months on, I'm delighted to say I've had only one headache and my neck
and shoulders are fine, despite carrying around a 10 month old baby!' TC.
Relief From Migraine...
"I initially consulted Rory Linden-Kelly, as I had not been able to chew on my left
side for 13 years! Rory, correcting the alignment of my teeth, resulted in getting rid of
my migraine problem, which was an amazing bonus for which I am extremely grateful." Sylvie
M.H, Surrey.
"I have suffered from headaches since my late teens, and would get them on a
daily basis...I had been to doctors, neurologists, chiropractors and osteopaths, without
any positive results. My initial fear was that the brace would be uncomfortable to wear
every night. However it is a surprisingly comfortable device, it doesn't interfere with my
sleep in any way. In fact I have now worn the brace for three months, and am not aware of
it at all. I noticed an improvement with my headaches after a few weeks. My headaches are
no longer as frequent as they used to be, and if I do get the occasional headache they are
not as bad anymore and do not necessarily continue all day." Mrs D, Surrey.
"I used to clench my teeth at night in bed and would pay the following day with a
migraine. I had several a month, but my record was seven in ten days. At first I
though they were triggered by classic migraine foods, such as red wine and chocolate, but
I still got them when I took the triggers away. I had pains down the side of my arms as
well as my head and I would see flashing lights. I had to lie down for four or five hours
before they went away. I consulted Dr Linden Kelly after reading about him on a Website. I
still clench my teeth at night, but the guard stops my back teeth from coming together.
Since using it I have been headache free".
Mr W. Surrey.
Concerning a complete cure for headaches and neck pain...
"For the past 10 years, my husband has suffered from headaches, which increased in
frequency and would sometimes last for 2-3 days. In fact, latterly, he was almost never
free from a headache and pains from his ears down either side of his jaw and down his
neck. He put his headaches down to the fact that he suffers from an allergy to the house
dust mite and often sneezes violently. Added to this, he began to suffer from general neck
pain. As a 63-year-old design consultant he put the neck pain down to his working
position, bent over his desk drawing and designing for over 40 years. Our GP advised
physiotherapy for the neck pain, but several sessions did nothing to alleviate it. Whilst
I was visiting Mr Linden-Kelly for my six monthly check up, he enquired if I had
any headaches or neck pain? Somewhat surprised, I said ‘no - but my husband
does’. After Mr Linden-Kelly explained that both headaches and neck pain could be
caused by clenching the teeth together at night, we decided that my husband should see
him. He fitted my husband with an NTI to wear at night and almost immediately his
headaches disappeared and the neck pain has improved slowly but surely. He is now free
from both. There is little doubt that that the tooth clenching and grinding is caused by
stress - 40 years of running ones own business! But the dentist has the cure - leave the
GP to prescribe various drugs to alleviate the pain but not solve the cause."
Mrs Elizabeth H.
"Having endured classic migraine attacks since 1955 I had long since given up
any hope of controlling them. Quite by chance I happened to see the spread in the paper
and considered a 'last ditch' attempt might be worthwhile, although I must admit I was
very sceptical. I am delighted to say that since wearing the brace, waking up in the
morning with migraine seems to be a thing of the past and I cannot begin to thank Mr.
Linden-Kelly sufficiently for this blessing. I just hope that other sufferers may be as
fortunate as I".
Irene B. |
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