If you suffer from TMD, you are familiar with the pain it can cause in your jaws and face. But you may be asking, “Why does it hurt? What causes this pain in the first place?”
People who suffer from chronic health problems sometimes suffer more than necessary because they postpone seeking medical attention. Sometimes, they are suffering but decide to wait until they can identify the cause themselves. This could describe many who deal with sleep apnea. Estimates place undiagnosed sleep apnea sufferers at 18 million in the United States alone. Could you be one of them?
When you look in on your sleeping child and hear them softly snoring as they sleep, you might smile and chuckle to yourself. But cute as it may sound, their snoring could be a symptom of a sleep disorder that shouldn’t be ignored.
Have you ever yawned really wide and felt your jaw catch? Or perhaps when chewing vigorously, you feel like your jaws have gotten out of alignment? Do you have headaches and jaw pain? All of these symptoms can be signals that your TMJ (temporomandibular joint) is not functioning properly.
Many of us are familiar with bullying, either as a witness, victim, or as the bully. It happens at every age and in many different settings, from school to work to social groups. Bullying occurs as physical, verbal, and social or relational bullying, and has grown to include cyber bullying. What do we know about bullying behavior in children and sleep?
The most common type of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA. It is known that sleep apnea can cause insomnia, high blood pressure, headaches, depression, irritability, and heart problems. Recent studies have added another concern. New data suggests the likelihood that OSA sufferers have a higher risk of developing cancer — especially women.
You’ve probably heard that adults need seven to nine hours of sleep per night to be at their best. Children and teens need even more. Did you know that it’s not only the time, but the quality of the sleep that is important? You go through several stages of sleep, with deep sleep being the stage where brain waves are the slowest. Researchers are beginning to discover just how important this deep non-REM sleep is to your mental and overall health, especially as you age.
Has your child repeatedly complained of facial pain and you know there hasn’t been a recent accident to blame? Do they mention headaches and earaches, or pain and stiffness in their neck? These are a few of the symptoms that can be associated with temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD).
