Headache and Migraine
Headaches are common, but they're not normal. Learn more about the causes of headaches, types of headaches, and oral issues that can cause headaches. If you live in Concord and are suffering from tension, migraine, cluster, or cervical headaches, YOU CAN FIND RELIEF! Call us today at 603-224-2555 or complete the form and we will contact you shortly.
CAUSES OF HEADACHE
There are two types of headaches:
Primary Headaches
include tension, migraine, cervicogenic, and cluster headaches and are not caused by other underlying medical conditions. More than 90% of headaches are primary.
Secondary Headaches
result from other medical conditions, such as infection or increased pressure in the skull due to a tumor. These account for fewer than 10% of all headaches.
Testimonials
About Us
Dr. Gregg Hillery graduated from the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine in June of 1987. He had been a resident of New Jersey but decided to finish his undergraduate degree in Behavioral Neuroscience and dental degree in the city of his birth, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Dr. Hillery practiced dentistry in New Jersey and Pennsylvania before moving to New Hampshire in June of 1998. He is a member of the American Dental Association which includes the New Hampshire branch and the Concord Dental Society. He has attended many continuing education courses throughout the years. He likes to supplement his knowledge by reading dental journals and newsletters to stay current with new technology and procedures.
Dr. Hillery’s interests include outdoor activities and travel. He enjoys spending time with his wife and his son, and searching for family and cultural events to attend.
Kelly has been in the dental field for over 36 years in the capacity of dental assistant. Working with Dr. Hillery since 1998, she feels very fortunate to have a career that she has loved and still has the desire to be part of a team that provides excellent dental care. Making patients feel cared for and comfortable, in a sometimes-stressful environment, is her favorite part of her job. Her faith and family have always been the most important parts of her life. Now that her children are grown, she has more time to spend working out (to try and stay ahead of mother nature), cooking and enjoying her entire family, especially her triplet grandsons and granddaughter.
Dawn graduated from Franklin Pierce College in 1986 with a B.S. in Business Management with a minor in accounting and from NHTI in 2001 with a degree in dental hygiene. She is board certified in the administration of local anesthetic. She joined our team in 2007. Dawn is passionate about her career as a Dental Hygienist. Educating patients on how to help them improve their oral and overall health is of the utmost importance to her. Dawn enjoys meeting new patients every day and making dental appointments a positive experience for them as well as taking care of their dental needs. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, kayaking and spending time with her family.
Lauren earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business from Saint Anselm College prior to entering the dental field. She then went on to become a Registered Dental Hygienist with a certification in local anesthesia administration. She graduated from NHTI in 2009 with a degree in Dental Hygiene and joined Dr. Hillery’s team that same year. Lauren’s favorite part of her job is building relationships with her patients while educating them on the importance of oral hygiene and disease prevention. Her main goal is to give each patient a positive experience in the dental chair by taking time to perform a comfortable and thorough hygiene visit. When she is not in the office, Lauren enjoys spending time with her two young children, husband and friends.
Melissa joined our team August of 2013. She graduated from Keene State College in 2009 with a B.S. in Biology and a Minor in Management. She received her Associates in Dental Hygiene from NHTI in Concord, NH in 2012. She previously was a dental assistant for over 6 years while working to receive her degrees. She has worked in both general and specialty practices where she has had extensive experience in soft tissue periodontal treatment. She is certified to administer local anesthesia and subgingival soft tissue treatment in periodontal pockets. Melissa continues to take courses in all aspects of oral dental care so as to ensure our patients achieve a lifetime of healthy smiles. Melissa lives in Concord, NH and in her free time enjoys cooking, exercising, being outdoors and playing with her rescue dog, RemDog and her fiancée.
Beverly has been in the Dental industry for over 40 years as both a Dental Assistant and Office/Patient Coordinator. Bev takes pride in making our patients feel comfortable with any scheduling, insurance, or dental concerns they may have. Her widespread knowledge of the dental field allows her to provide patients with excellent, personalized care and service to make their visits as comfortable and pleasant as possible. In her free time, she volunteers at Concord Hospital and CRVNA Hospice offering Reiki for her patients. Her spare time is filled with photography, cycling and hiking around our beautiful state.
Wendy joined our team in October 2015. She has been in the dental office administration field since 1998. She is a transplant from Massachusetts who fell in love with New Hampshire after spending many summers here. She loves being able to help patients understand their dental needs and how their dental insurance works. Her priority is helping them maximize their dental benefits. She enjoys spending time with her husband, son, and dog. She enjoys making custom signs in her spare time. Her favorite activity is attending her son’s sports games especially baseball.
THE PRIMARY HEADACHE TYPES
1. Tension Headaches: are the most common, affecting more than 75% of all headache sufferers. As many as 90% of adults have had tension headaches.
Tension headaches usually involve a steady ache, rather than a throbbing one, are described as a feeling of pressure or tightening, may last minutes to days, affect both sides of the head, and do not worsen with routine physical activity. It may also be accompanied by hypersensitivity to light and noise. Some people get tension (and migraine) headaches because of stressful events. Tension headaches may also be chronic, occurring frequently or daily.
Rebound Headache: Rebound headaches may occur among people with tension headaches, as well as in those with migraines. It can be the result of taking prescription or nonprescription pain relievers daily or almost every day, contrary to directions on the package label. If prescription or nonprescription pain relievers are overused, headaches may 'rebound' as the last dose wears off--leading you to take more and more pills. Break that cycle!
2. Cervicogenic Headaches: come from disorders of the neck. They are often brought on by neck movement and/or sustained awkward head positioning (such as painting the ceiling or washing the floor). There may also be stiffness in the neck or shoulder and arm pain accompanying the headaches.
3. Migraine Headaches: are less common than tension headaches, but still afflict 25 to 30 million people in the United States. As many as 6% of all men, and up to 18% of all women experience a migraine headache at some time in their life.
Migraines may last 4-72 hours and involve the entire head. They can cause throbbing and are aggravated by routine physical activity.
Nausea, sensitivity to light and sound often accompany migraines. An "aura" may occur before head pain begins-- involving a disturbance in vision, and/or an experience of brightly colored or blinking lights in a pattern that moves across the field of vision. About one in five migraine sufferers experiences an aura.
Usually, migraine attacks are occasional, or sometimes as often as once or twice a week, but rarely occur daily.
4. Cluster Headaches: are pretty rare, affecting about 1% of the population. They are different from migraine and tension headaches. Most cluster headache sufferers are male -- about 85%.
Cluster headaches come in groups or clusters lasting weeks or months. The pain is extremely severe but the attack is brief, lasting no more than an hour or two. The pain centers around one eye, and this eye may be inflamed and watery. There may also be nasal congestion on the affected side of the face.
These "alarm clock" headaches may strike in the middle of the night, and often occur at about the same time each day during the course of a cluster. A history of heavy smoking and drinking is common, and alcohol often triggers attacks.
These are some common oral issues that can cause both a headache and tooth pain:
TMJ: If you have consistent headaches or migraines, they may be caused by temporomandibular disorders (TMD) or more commonly known as issues with the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).
Pain relievers of various types are the most common approach to headaches. In our practice we take a more natural approach. Our objective is to find and reduce the underlying cause of a headache. During an examination, Dr. Gregg Hillery will perform orthopedic types of tests on the TMJ which allow us to assess the current status of joint form and function. If you have joint pain, we will determine exactly which structure(s) are involved in order to make a diagnosis.
Incorrect Bite: If you have consistent headaches and have ruled out organic causes and the only effective treatment is pain medication, you need to consider a dental bite problem as a possible cause especially if you typically have a one-sided headache/migraine or one-sided neck pain or shoulder pain. The typical bite-related headaches are felt in the suboccipitals, temporalis, and/or migraine.
Teeth Grinding, also called Bruxism, can be caused by stress, misaligned teeth or nerve and muscle diseases in the face. Symptoms can include morning headaches, grinding sounds at night, tight jaw muscles and cracked or damaged teeth.
Toothaches: cavities or gum issues can cause headaches. If you think your headache and tooth pain are related, schedule an appointment with Dr. Gregg Hillery. Note any oral issues that occur in conjunction with the headache . If the two are linked, we should be able to diagnose and suggest a course of treatment not only for the oral care issue but also to provide relief from headaches.
Call us today 603-224-2555 to schedule an appointment in Concord or complete the form for a complimentary consultation at Gregg Hillery DMD .
Contact Us
| DAY | TIME |
| Monday | 9:00am-5:00pm |
| Tuesday | 9:00am-5:00pm |
| Wednesday | 9:00am-5:00pm |
| Thursday | 9:00am-5:00pm |
| Friday | 9:00am-5:00pm |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |