The Genetic Connection

At times, patients come to my office and it is truly difficult to understand why they are suffering with a facial pain problem. For these patients there may well be a genetic component. This is common with those suffering with migraine headaches and may relate to other conditions that we see as well.

Some patients may in fact be predisposed to experiencing pain in general throughout their bodies including in their face and head! A number of years ago a gene was identified that determined the amount of circulating adrenaline in the body. If an individual had a form of this gene that allowed higher levels of adrenaline to be present in the body, he or she would likely experience not only more frequent pain, but more intense pain than individuals without this gene.

It is important for you to realize that your pain is real, even if we in the medical community can’t find a reason on an MRI, blood evaluation, or tests that we conduct.

It’s not your fault that you hurt. Pain Relief Lives Here!

The Genetic Connection

Recent research has indicated that there may well be certain genes that not only influence an individual’s pain threshold and tolerance level, but may also  predict whether or not an individual is likely to develop a chronic pain condition like those in the face and jaw.



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