(NAPSI)-Millions of people may be relieved to learn their chronic headaches can be cured by specially trained dentists.

“By far the most common causes of headaches are dysfunctions of the muscles and joints of the head, face and neck,” according to New Jersey-based Ira Klemons, DDS, PhD, president, American Board of Craniofacial Pain and a member of the board of directors of the American Academy of Craniofacial Pain.

About one in four Americans suffers with these conditions, which can cause headaches, migraines, pain in the eye, ear or face, dizziness, or ringing in the ears. Some become depressed as a result.

Many researchers believe that most craniofacial pain is caused by trauma, such as a fall, sports injury or an automobile accident. But because the pain sometimes develops long after the accident, it’s often hard to tell the cause. It can be so difficult to diagnose that some people battle these headaches for years, or even most of their lives.

That’s one reason diagnosing and treating craniofacial pain requires a specially trained dentist or a physician with advanced training in dealing with joints and muscles.

Fortunately, a growing number of dentists have gained specialized training in diagnosing and treating headaches and facial pain and have demonstrated success rates of more than 90 percent because of their significant experience resolving problems with head and face muscles and joints.

Many of these dentists belong to the American Academy of Craniofacial Pain, which recently conducted a nationwide survey and discovered:

• More than half of headache sufferers report adverse effects on their work, family and social lives as a direct result of their headaches.

• Among those taking prescription drugs for their headaches, narcotic analgesics are most common (45 percent), with 88 percent of prescription users also taking OTC medications for headache. People with the most frequent headaches are twice as likely as less frequent sufferers to combat their problem with prescription drugs.

• People with chronic headaches are so severely affected that they would be willing to pay more than twice their income for a cure.

• More women than men and more adults than children are treated for craniofacial pain but it can happen to anyone.

Treatment commonly employs painless procedures that help stimulate muscles and joints to heal and function normally.

To learn more or to find a list of healthcare professionals trained in treating headaches and facial pain, visit www.aacfp.org.

Ninety percent of headache and facial pain sufferers can obtain relief from specially trained dentists.