Morning Headaches? We Can Help!

Starting your day with a headache may affect your entire day.  Morning Headaches are usually easy to treat and address.  They are usually best treated without drugs.  The two most common causes of morning headaches are TMJ disorders and Sleep Apnea or Upper Airway resistance Syndrome.

Correction of the trigger that occurs in sleep can eliminate the morning headache or the one that occurs shortly after waking.  Frequently these same treatments can eliminate or minimize all headaches and migraines you experience.

This connection between sleep apnea, TMJ disorders and Headache has been examined by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute in their report "Cardiovascular and Sleep Consequences of Temporomandibular Disorders"

An oral appliance can help you mmaintain your ideal airway, eliminate snoring and sleep apnea and associated morning headaches.  Neuromuscular Dentistry is exceptional at eliminating headache and migraine problems for most patients who do not have sleep apnea.  Combination therapy can give miraculous results for many patients without the use of dangerous drugs.

Combination therapy with a night apnea appliance and a daytime Neuromuscular Orthotic may be the single best treatment for many patients who want to regain their quality of life.

Additional information on Neuromuscular Dentistry Can be found at www.ihateheadaches.org and at Sleep and Health Journal @   www.sleepandhealth.com/neuromuscular-dentistry.

My website also has excellent information on Neuromuscular Dentistry and Sleep Apnea
www.delanydentalcare.com/neuromuscular.html

Years of Headache Pain. I Hate having headaches. I will try anything.

Marsha:

I have headaches off & on for years. I used to have migraines but they are not so bad now. plus the medicatations got so expensive I couldn't afford them. Now they are just a constant pain like a vise queezing my head most of the time. I hate having headaches. I will try anything to get rid of them. I would like some information about your practice please! Dr Shapira's response:

My office is located in Gurnee, a northern suburb of Chicago. I have been treating Headaches, TMD, Sleep Disorders, Myofascial Pain and related disorders for over 30 years. I utilize numerous approaches for long term problems including Neuromuscular Diagnostic Orthotics, TENS, SPG blocks

(sphenopalatine ganglion ), trigger point injections, spray and stretech and postural corrections.

I having been helping patient's with chronic headaches related to the Trigeminal Nervous System. Each patient is quite unique but there are many similar aspects as well. I tell my patients to expect 50-80% improvement but I cannot guarantee success. As we progress thru treatment we continually seek an additional 50-80% improvement. THERE IS NO CURE! YOU ARE PERMANENTLY CHANGED FROM LIVING IN PAIN FOR YEARS. A CURE WOULD BE A DO-OVER ON ALL YOU LOST DUE TO PAIN.

I AM INTERESTED IN IMPROVING YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE MOVING FORWARD. It is unfortunate that so much of your life has been adversely effected by your pain. I look forward to improving your future quality of life.

I find that seeing long distance patients must be properly planned to avoid excessive visits to my office. I prefer to see patients first thing Monday morning and then Monday afternoon, Tuesday AM and PM and Wednesday AM before you return home. This necessitates coming in Sunday night before the appointment.

Each case if different and unique and I request you complete and extensive history before your appointment as well as a 1 hour phone consultation. I limit new long distance patients to two per month maximum.

The cost of the phone interview is $250.00 which will be applied to the treatment fee of $6900.00 if you are accepted as a patient. It is also possible to come in for a consultation but normally no time is set aside for treatment therefore in will mean extra travel.

Please call for an appointment at 847-623-5530 or I will have a team member contact you.

ARM AND HAND NUMBNESS AND PAIN IN SLEEP APNEA PATIENTS RELATED TO SCALENE MUSCLE NERVE ENTRAPMENT

The Russian article (see abstract below) discusses the entrapment of the neuromuscular bundle in fibruous bands in the scalene muscles. These muscles are very important in sleep apnea patients. They are normally accessory breathing muscles but are overused when patients with obstructive apnea try to breathe past an obstruction. Long term overuse can lead to taut bands and trigger points as described by Dr Janet Travell. These trigger points can lead to upper quarter pain including the entire arm and hand as well as anterior and posterior shouler regions.

In addition the nerve roots of the brachial plexus can be compressed between the anterior and medial scalene muscles. The authors call this scalenus anticus syndrome a subtype of thoracic outlet syndrome. These problems can be adressed by body work such as massage or myotherapy but correcting the underlying sleep apnea will often result in self correction of this problem. This will result in many patients utilizing CPAP or oral appliances.

In patients where the condition does not self correct a neuromuscular orthotic may give amazing relief. See http://www.ihateheadaches.org

Georgian Med News. 2005 Sep;(126):18-23.

[Fibrous-muscular and vessels anomalies revealing during surgery of the scalenus anticus syndrome]

[Article in Russian]

Tsitsuashvili G, Dzhavakhishvili G, Buddzhiashvili V, Gogeliani A, Rcheulishvili I.

National Center of Surgery, Tbilisi, Georgia.

One hundred and twenty five operations on 100 patients were performed due to the symptoms suggesting presence of the pressure on the neurovascular supraclavicular structures, although X-ray showed no evidence of cervical rib. In 15 cases of patients with so-called scalenus anticus syndrome as one of the forms of thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) seemed to be compressing the neurovascular bundle. Scalenus mediums muscle appeared to be producing more compression of the nerve roots than did the scalenus anterior in 5 patients. Pressure from Rudimentary First Rib--in 2 cases in our series malformation of the first rib was the cause of the patient's distress. Anomalous Bands--in 4 cases anomalous bands of fibrous tissue in the supraclavicular area were the cause of compression of the neurovascular bundle Anomaleus Arteries Compressing Nerve Roots- large arteries compressed roots of trunks of the brachial plexus in four patients in our series to such an extent that it seemed these structures were the cause of the patient's symptoms. All anomalous structures were removed, good results after such surgical tactics were kept for long time in all cases. Therefore the surgeons, performing scalenotomy have to pay particular attention to the fibrous bands and anomalies in the scalene group of muscles.

PMID: 16234586 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

SLEEP APNEA AND TMJ DISORDERS ARE CLOSELY RELATED.

TMJ DISORDERS AND SLEEP APNEA DISORDERS ARE CLOSELY RELATED. THE BITE CHANGES THAT OCCUR WITH ORAL APPLIANCE THERAPY CAN BE CONTROLLED WITH REGULAR EXERCISE IN THE MORNING (EXERCISES ARE USUALLY FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES ONLY) BUT MANY PAIENTS DISCONTINUE THEIR EXERCISES. I BELIEVE THE PRIMARY REASON IS THAT THEY ARE MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THEIR MANDIBLE (LOWER JAW) IN A FORWARD POSITION.

THE ANTERIOR POSITION OF THE JAW IS USUALLY NOT A PROBLEM FOR THE JOINTS BUT CAN CAUSE BITE CHANGES.

NEUROMUSCULAR DENTISTRY IS A EXCELLENT MANNER TO HANDLE BITE CHANGES WHEN PATIENTS DO NOT WISH TO RETURN TO THEIR ORIGINAL PATHOLOGIC BITES.

I CALL THE BITES PATHOLOGICAL BECAUSE IT DOES NOT MAINTAIN AN INTACT AIRWAY. THESE PATIENTS FREQUENTLY HAVE A FORWARD HEAD POSTURE THAT IS AN ADAPTATION TO INCREASE THE AIRWAY WHEN WE ARE AWAKE. UNFORTUNATELY FORWARD HEAD POSTURE IS IMPLICATED IN HEAD AND NECK PAIN AS WELL AS LOW BACK PAIN. IT IS THE ELIMINATION OF PAIN THAT IS A FREQUENT REASON PATIENTS DO NOT OBJECT TO THE BITE CHANGES OR FAIL TO DO THE EXERCISES TO PREVENT THEM.

IF YOU HAVE ANY HEAD OR NECK PAIN PLEASE CHECK OUT MY OTHER SITE HTTP://WWW.IHATEHEADACHES.ORG WHICH IS AN EXCELLENT SITE TO LEARN HOW CHRONIC HEADACHES AND/OR MIGRAINES CAN BE TREATED AND/OR ELIMINATED WITH A DIAGNOSTIC NEUROMUSCULAR ORTHOTIC. WHEN THE ORTHOTIC RELIEVES THE PAIN LONG TERM MANAGEMENT CAN BE ADDRESSED.

Morning Headacahes and Sleep Apnea

The two major causes of morning headaches are sleep apnea and night-time clenching and grinding. As much of 80% of grinding and clenching is secondary to sleep apnea. Patients who routinely wake with morning headaches need to be evaluated and treated if they have sleep apnea. Headaches that occur at waking but continue throughout the day are more likely related to TMJ disorders.

Oral appliances can treat sleep apnea at night but a different type of appliance can treat headaches, facial pain, migraines and jaw problems. Patients suffering from chronic headaches will find the I HATE HEADACHES site a valuable resource. The site focuses on how neuromuscular dentistry can relieve migraines andtension-type headaches, chronic daily headaches and sinus pain.

http://www.ihateheadaches.org

SUDDEN ONSET HEADACHE WITH VOMITING AND DIZZINESS

I RECENTLY RECEIVED THIS POST FROM A PATIENT.

comments : i need a doctor who can help me what is wrong with my head for the last 3 weeks now. half of my head hurting and the pain in my head moves around. like my back head, everywhere part of my head. everyday day my heads hurt. and i vomet, feel dizzy. but right now i dont have a health insurance.

THIS IS IMPORTANT, IF A NEW HEADACHE UNLIKE ANY IN THE PAST SUDDENLY PRESENTS WITH SYMPTOMS SUCH AS DIZZINESS AND/OR VOMITING OR OTHER NEUROLOGICAL SYMPTOMS MEDICAL EVALUATION SHOULD BE DONE IMMEDIATELY.

MY RESPONSE
If this is a new type of headache that you have never had before you should have an immediate medical evaluation. It is important to establish that there are no serious organic problems. I would suggest having a neurologist evaluate you first.

IF THE HEADACHE IS NOT ORGANIC IN NATURE AND YOU RULE OUT SERIOUS CONDITIONS THE NEUROMUSCULAR DENTISTRY IS AN EXCELLENT MEANS TO PREVENT, ELIMINATE AND/OR ALLEVIATE MIGRAINES, TENSION HEADACHES, ETTH, CDH AND OTHER CHRONIC PROBLEMS. THE NEUROMUSCULAR DENTIST IS THE IDEAL PRIMARY CARETAKER FOR MOST CHRONIC HEADACHE PATIENTS. THE NEUROLOGIST IS ESSENTIAL IN EVALUATING UNDERLYING CAUSES. DRUG TREATMENT, PHYSICAL THERAPY, CHIROPRACTIC TREATMENT AND NEUROMUSCULAR DENTISTRY CAN ALL BE EFFECTIVE IN TREATING AND ARE DONE BY DIFFERENT PRACTITIONERS. NEUROMUSCULAR DENTISTRY (NMD)CORRECTS THE UNDERLYING PRIMARY CAUSE IN PATIENTS WHOSE HEADACHES ARE POSTURE RELATED TO THE HEAD, NECK AND JAW. THE NMD FREQUENTLY WILL WORK WITH THE OTHER MEDICAL SPECIALISTS FOR OPTIMUM RESULTS.

Sleep apnea,snoring,TAP 1,Somnomed, and Neuromuscular Dentistry

I recently treated a patient who a a continuous headache for over 50 years. I originally saw hew husband and my Schaumburg Chicagoland Dental Sleep Medicine Associates office to treat his sleep apnea with an oral appliance. We successfully treated his sleep apnea and in the process eliminated his snoring which she commented greatly improved her life. We then discussed her headaches and did spray and stretch with ethyl chloride and relieved her 50 year headache and gave her an Aqualizer appliance as a temporary "crutch" Her headache stayed away until the Aqualizer broke.

I nest saw "M" at my Gurnee office and did a diagnostic appointment and a diagnostic orthotic. Her next visit she reported being totally headache free. LIFE CHANGING! Over the last few months we have reconstructed her mouth to the position determined by the diagnostic orthotic and she remains headache free despite extremely high family stress due to medical issues.

Her grandchildren would ask her everyday "Do you still not have a headache."

We recently switched her husband from a Tap 1 appliance used for titration to a Somnomed Appliance.

Both of these patients had a TMJ problem with very different results.

He had apnea and she had headaches and both conditions resolved by changing the position of the jaw.

An interesting fact is that the treatment of sleep apnea by changing the jaw position is covered by medical insurance while treatment of headaches is not covered by by medical insurance.

There has been a concentrated effort by the insurance companies to limit treatment of a "female" problem TMJ and Headaches while no such limitation exists for "Male " Sleep Apnea.

Both of these conditions are found in men and women but apnea is more commonly found in males and headaches and TMJ disorders (TMD) in women. The NHLBI (National Heart Lung and Blood Institute) considers sleep apnea to be a TMJ disorder. Neuromuscular orthotics are more successful than drugs for treating headaches and have NO ADVERSE DRUG EFFECTS. IT IS TIME FOR INSURANCE COMPANIES TO TREAT FEMALE PATIENTS MORE FAIRLY.