Health

Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) disorders are common. Individuals with a TMJ disorder may experience a variety of symptoms, such as earaches, headaches and limited ability to open their mouth.

One of the most common complaints about the TMJ is popping and clicking within the jaw joint. This is caused by the disk (meniscus) in the middle of the joint being positioned in front of the top part of the lower jaw (the condyle). The popping or clicking occurs when the disk is positioned in front of the condyle and on opening the mouth, the condyle slides on to the disk resulting in the noise.

When symptoms of TMJ trouble appear, consult an oral and maxillofacial surgeon (OMS). A specialist in the areas of the mouth, teeth and jaws, your OMS is in a good position to correctly diagnose the problem. Diagnosing TMJ disorders can be complex and may require different diagnostic procedures. Special imaging studies of the joints may be ordered and appropriate referral to other dental or medical specialists or a physical therapist may be made.

How to deal with TMJ

Relaxation and Stress management

Learning how to relax and minimize stress helps to reduce clenching or grinding of the teeth. Relaxation techniques include alteration of breathing patterns and learning to breathe “correctly”. This can extend to identifying sources of stress and making necessary lifestyle changes. This may include counselling.

Surgery

Only on rare occasions is open joint surgery necessary where the cartilage is usually removed and replaced. Serious side-effects after TMJ surgery are uncommon. While we make every attempt to minimise risks, complications can occur.

Acupuncture

The primary reason acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine is chosen as an approach to healing is because it seeks to resolve the origin of a condition which ultimately results in eliminating the pain and discomfort of the symptoms. So in using acupuncture we are treating the root cause – stress, muscle tension, system imbalances, as well as the pain in the jaw area, all in one treatment. The benefit for the patient is the convenience and potential for resolving a number of related issues within the treatment session.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurological and developmental condition that usually appears during the first three years of life. Symptoms can range from mild to severe and vary with each individual.

A diagnosis of autism is made when an individual displays at least six of 12 symptoms distributed across three major areas: social interaction, communication and repetitive/stereotyped patterns of behavior and interest.

What Do Autism Spectrum Disorders Look Like in Children and Adolescents?

Children with ASD are generally noted early in life to have developmental delays. Symptoms of ASD are increasingly identified within a child’s first 18 months of life. Language delay is the most common reason families seek evaluation. Some children may have delayed speech, while other children speak with unusual patterns. Examples of unusual speech include repeating phrases spoken to them (known as echolalia), using phrases in unusual ways (including scripted language where the child responds to different comments from family using the same verbal responses, such as “Want milk” when the child wants a snack or toy), ), saying the same phrases over and over again (known as perseveration), and reversing pronouns (saying “You want juice,” when the child wants juice). Children may not use language at all when interacting with others, or they may speak in a monotone that sounds “flat.”

Can children “grow out” of autism?

A small minority of children show considerable improvement in their ASD symptoms following diagnosis. While ASD has historically been considered a life-long condition, recent research has shown that the outcomes associated with an ASD diagnosis can vary considerably. Some people who were diagnosed with ASD in their youth may improve dramatically, and show little difference to people who have never had the diagnosis.

Whether these individuals “grew out” of autism, or simply responded exceptionally well to the therapeutic interventions, remains up for debate. One should also question if the initial diagnosis of ASD was accurate in these cases. At the moment it is difficult to identify which children will “grow out” of autism, although those who have less severe symptoms and those who obtain early access to the appropriate therapies appear to have better outcomes.

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a small joint located in front of the ear where the skull and lower jaw meet. It permits the lower jaw to move and function.

The Risk of Temporomandibular Joint Disorder Surgery

Despite the deficiencies of retrospective studies and case reports, they do provide evidence that surgery can be helpful for some patients suffering from painful disorders of the TMJ that do not respond favorably to nonsurgical management. Past experience, however, has shown that reliance solely on such data can lead to serious consequences. Until objective prospective data become available, therefore, clinicians need to adopt a conservative approach in their selection of patients for temporomandibular joint surgery and patients have to be wary about subjecting themselves to such procedures.

Natural Treatment for TMJ

Top experts, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and NIDCR, recommend conservative, reversible treatments as the best route of action. Our doctors agree and recommend choosing non-invasive treatments first, rather than aggressive treatments, like surgery and implants, which penetrate the tissues of the face, jaw or joint.

Immune Abnormalities

Fibromyalgia has symptoms that resemble those of some rheumatic illnesses, including rheumatoid arthritis and lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus). These are autoimmune diseases in which a defective immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own healthy tissue, producing inflammation and damage. The pain in fibromyalgia, however, does not appear to be due to autoimmune factors, and there is little evidence to support a role for an inflammatory response in fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia and Sleep

For people with fibromyalgia, the combination of pain and sleep disturbance is a double-edged sword: the pain makes sleep more difficult and sleep deprivation exacerbates pain. The good news is that reduction in sleep disturbance is usually followed by improvement in pain symptoms. This also highlights the importance of healthy sleep and to find a sleep professional in treating this disease.

For People Who Have Both Fibromyalgia And A Thyroid Condition

There are many people who have both fibromyalgia AND a thyroid condition.  For these people, the process is typically the same, as the goal will be to find the underlying cause of these conditions through the necessary testing (Adrenal Stress Index, Hormone Panel, Hair Analysis, tests for nutritional deficiencies, etc.), and then address these causes as necessary.  I’ve consulted with people who had fibromyalgia who were taking over one dozen medications.  And in many of these cases the medication did a poor job of managing their symptoms.  This isn’t meant to criticize anyone who takes prescription drugs to manage the pain and other symptoms, but for those taking numerous medications and are still feeling terrible, following a natural treatment protocol just may be the answer of getting your life back.

Endometrial Cancer

Endometrial cancer starts when cells in the inner lining of the uterus (endometrium) begin to grow out of control. Cells in nearly any part of the body can become cancer, and can spread to other areas of the body.

Esophagus Cancer

Cancer of the esophagus (also referred to as esophageal cancer) starts in the inner layer (the mucosa) and grows outward (through the submucosa and the muscle layer). Since 2 types of cells can line the esophagus, there are 2 main types of esophageal cancer:

1. Squamous cell carcinoma

The esophagus is normally lined with squamous cells. Cancer starting in these cells is called squamous cell carcinoma. This type of cancer can occur anywhere along the esophagus. Once, squamous cell carcinoma was by far the more common type of esophageal cancer in the United States. This has changed over time, and now it makes up less than half of esophageal cancers in this country.

2. Adenocarcinoma

Cancers that start in gland cells are called adenocarcinomas. This type of cell is not normally part of the inner lining of the esophagus. Before an adenocarcinoma can develop, gland cells must replace an area of squamous cells, which is what happens in Barrett’s esophagus. This occurs mainly in the lower esophagus, which is where most adenocarcinomas start.

Eye Cancer

Two types of cancers can be found in the eye.

Primary intraocular cancers start inside the eyeball. In adults, melanoma is the most common primary intraocular cancer, followed by primary intraocular lymphoma. These 2 cancers are the focus of this document.

In children, retinoblastoma (a cancer that starts in cells in the retina) is the most common primary intraocular cancer, and medulloepithelioma is the next most common (but is still extremely rare). These childhood cancers are discussed in Retinoblastoma.

Secondary intraocular cancers start somewhere else in the body and then spread to the eye. These are not truly “eye cancers,” but they are actually more common than primary intraocular cancers. The most common cancers that spread to the eye are breast and lung cancers. Most often these cancers spread to the part of the eyeball called the uvea. For more information on these types of cancers, see our documents on them.

Gastric Cancer

Stomach cancers tend to develop slowly over many years. Before a true cancer develops, pre-cancerous changes often occur in the inner lining (mucosa) of the stomach. These early changes rarely cause symptoms and therefore often go undetected.

Cancers starting in different sections of the stomach may cause different symptoms and tend to have different outcomes. The cancer’s location can also affect the treatment options. For example, cancers that start at the GE junction are staged and treated the same as cancers of the esophagus. A cancer that starts in the cardia of the stomach but then grows into the GE junction is also staged and treated like a cancer of the esophagus.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and autism are both general terms for a group of complex disorders of brain development. These disorders are characterized, in varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors. With the May 2013 publication of the DSM-5 diagnostic manual, all autism disorders were merged into one umbrella diagnosis of ASD. Previously, they were recognized as distinct subtypes, including autistic disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder, pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) and Asperger syndrome.

ASD can be associated with intellectual disability, difficulties in motor coordination and attention and physical health issues such as sleep and gastrointestinal disturbances. Some persons with ASD excel in visual skills, music, math and art.

The triad of impairments in autistic children typically cause children to have difficult interacting with others, impairment in socializing and communication, and learning disabilities. This is a life-long developmental disability, and for anyone that knows a family with an autistic child, you know how arduous this can be on them physically, psychologically, and financially. Current reasearch favors the following diverse components to be the cause of autism:

1. Genetic
2. Environmental
3. Neurochemical Imbalance

Some people think ADHD symptoms happen or get worse because of a lack of something in their diets. But the jury is still out on whether any dietary supplements can affect ADHD symptoms.

Some studies, though, suggest that children with ADHD might not have enough iron. One theory is that supplementing with iron may improve symptoms of the disorder, but that hasn’t been proven.

Fish Oil for ADHD

There is some evidence that fish oil can help improve ADHD symptoms. It contains omega-3 fatty acids. Some findings suggest that fish oil supplements may improve the mental skills of children with the disorder who are 8 to 12 years old.

A specific supplement of fish oil and evening primrose oil was used in one study. The results showed improvements with hyperactivity, inattentiveness, ability to think clearly, and overall behavior in children with ADHD who were 7 to 12 years old.

Micronutrients

Deficiencies of particular vitamins or minerals — such as zinc, iron, magnesium, and vitamin B6 — have been documented in children with ADHD. But the results of trials testing whether supplementation with vitamins or minerals alleviates ADHD syndrome have been inconsistent.

Although vitamin or mineral supplements may help children diagnosed with particular deficiencies, there is no evidence that they are helpful for all children with ADHD. Furthermore, megadoses of vitamins, which can be toxic, must be avoided.

Scoliosis is a condition in which there is three-dimensional deviation on the spinal axis of a person. If viewed with X-ray, the spine will resemble the alphabet “S” or “C”, rather than straight line like found in normal spine. Since scoliosis is a spinal condition, many people often question if there is any correlation between scoliosis and back pain. The answer is quite not sure. Maybe, there is relation between those conditions. In some cases, people with scoliosis can develop back pain but in other cases, the degenerative scoliosis usually begins with back pain.

Some patients report of having back pain from scoliosis. Well, it is not necessarily that scoliosis causes back pain. Yes, people with scoliosis can have scoliosis, just like the normal people. There is no study that finds that people with scoliosis are more likely to develop back pain compared to those who don’t have scoliosis. However, this also does not conclude that scoliosis do not cause back pain. It just needs more research or study to help answer this question.

When you have scoliosis and at the same time also feel back pain due to scoliosis, it may be because the curve of the spine causes pressure and stress to the muscles, discs, nerves, ligaments, and facet joints of the spine. However, the back pain may not solely caused by the curve. If your teen kids have who have scoliosis experience back pain, you need to be alarmed that this indicates other problems, like spinal or bone tumor. Go to your doctor to find what is actually causing the pain.

But still, when back pain is experienced by scoliosis sufferers, the question remains the same: is this back pain caused by scoliosis? Adults who are diagnosed with scoliosis may or may not have back pain. The possibility for them to get back pain is just the same with those people with normal spine. However, when the scoliosis gets severe, it is also possible that it will cause difficulty breathing and back pain.

Temporomandibular disorder is a condition characterized by some pain in the jaw area. Temporomandibular itself is joint that connects your skull’s temporal bones with your jaw. When the disorder comes, you may feel pain when trying to open or close your mouth. You may also feel pain when talking or chewing foods. In many cases, you can alleviate the pain and discomfort of TMJ disorder by having some home remedies and non-surgical treatments. However, surgery may also be taken when the pain persists and gets severe.

To get to know what temporomandibular disorders are like, you have to be well-informed about the symptoms, which include jaw pain and tenderness, discomfort and difficulty while chewing, pain in your facial area, pain in the ear area, and locking of the jaw joint. Normally, these symptoms may go away in couple days. However, if the pain and tenderness persists, you may need to visit a doctor or a dentist to know what kinds of treatments you must take.

The pain in your temporomanidbular joint can occur when the disk erodes or moves, the arthritis damages the cartilage of the joint, or when a blow damages the joint. One of the most frequent causes of TMJ disorder is teeth grinding (bruxism) during sleep. However, bruxism is not the only cause, and bruxism can also cause other kinds of condition beside joint pain. However, it is true that bruxism can be the cause of your TMJ pain as the grinding teeth can cause pressure on your jaw joint.

As part of the treatments for the TMJ, you can also try teeth grinding mouth guard or oral splints. In this case, you will need to wear a device inserted over your teeth, which can be either soft or firm. The mouth guard is believed to physically correct the bite. It is best option if you have TMJ disorder that is persistent and extreme. By having the mouth guard, the misalignment in your teeth or jaw can be corrected, guaranteeing that you get long-term relief.

Fibromyalgia is a musculoskeletal disorder that is characterized by widespread pain in the musculoskeletal system, followed with fatigue and sleep problems. Though fibromyalgia and joint pain (rheumatoid arthritis) are different kinds of conditions, the symptoms are similar which sometimes make people confused. The Arthritis Foundation considers that fibromyalgia is a condition which is related to arthritis. Though in fact, arthritis and fibromyalgia have different symptoms. Knowing about this difference will help you get the best help for each condition as early as possible.

The biggest difference of fibromyalgia and arthritis is inflammation. The key symptom of rheumatoid arthritis is joint inflammation. However, fibromyalgia and inflammation are two things that don’t relate with each other. Yes, the pain in joints and muscles experienced by fibromyalgia sufferers is not caused by inflammation. It means that, the joints of fibromyalgia sufferers are not damaged, like in the case of rheumatoid arthritis. Instead of inflammation, the key symptoms that affect fibromyalgia sufferers are muscle and tissue pain throughout the body and sleep problems as well as fatigue.

The symptoms of fibromyalgia and hip pain may also be confusing to some people. However, the difference is actually noticeable. In hip pain, it is only hip which is in pain. In fibromyalgia, the pain is widespread. It means that the sufferers of fibromyalgia can feel the neck pain, shoulder pain, arm pain, and pain in other parts of the body. The pain may get worse after you do some physical activities.

The same with hip pain, people often confused about the symptoms of fibromyalgia and leg pain. The explanation will be the same. In leg pain, the pain is only felt in the leg area. In fibromyalgia, the pain is widespread, from the neck to the feet. However, it is possible that you feel the pain in your feet is more painful than in other parts of the body. This is actually what makes people confused. Having a diagnosis will help you get the best help for you condition.