Intractable headache and its referred pain in the face and neck is often the result of Temperomandibular Joint Dysfunction or TMJ. TMJ is essentially a dental condition, hence the dentist Dr Sean O'Geary's interest.

A TMJ dysfunction occurs when there is disharmony between the Skull (Cranial) and the lower jaw (the mandible). The problem may apply to the bones themselves or the muscles that move the head, neck and jaws.

There are 24 bones in the skull with 64 "joints" between them, all of which have to move and function in response to forces applied to them. Many of these forces come from the muscles and membranes attached to these bones. If these muscles and membranes are in spasm or not working properly, they can severely restrict free movement of the skull bones.

These same membranes surround the brain, enclose the spinal cord as a sheath and are continuous with the nerve sheaths around the main cranial and spinal nerves. What this means is that any dysfunction of these membranes, the cerebrospinal fluid and the bones will effect the whole body via the nervous system and cause pain.

Your Posture can also be a route to the Pain. Postural muscles work in unison to maintain balance. Neck muscles, which maintain the head in a balanced position, are connected to the skull bones. Any changes to your posture will effect the normal rhythm and movement of the cranial bones, causing them to become jammed or locked.

The result is usually pain in the head, neck or face.