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.
Obstructive sleep apnea affects around 20 million Americans and can lead to hypertension, heart attack, stroke, depression, muscle pain, fibromyalgia, morning headaches, and excessive daytime sleepiness.
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