Is Your Mask Affecting Your TMD Symptoms?

Center for TMJ & Sleep Solutions NW, Patient Education, TMD

Over the past year, we have had to change the way we go about our day to day lives. Running a quick errand now has additional tasks that involve using hand sanitizer and wearing a mask. A few years ago, many of us would never have believed that we would not only have to wear a mask wherever we went, but that many of us would have a favorite mask or collection of masks. At this point in our pandemic journey, we have all heard about the effects of wearing masks and have heard stories of those who are experiencing “maskne”, or facial acne caused by wearing a mask. Did you know that those who are affected by TMD are also experiencing an increase in discomfort in their jaw? In fact, it may have happened to you and you might not have realized the cause of your discomfort.

Simple Ways to Improve Your Sleep Habits

Center for TMJ & Sleep Solutions NW, Patient Education, Sleep Apnea

Now that we have successfully made it through the first month of 2021 and all the craziness of the holiday season and new year are over, now is the perfect time for a reset to focus on yourself and your health. There is no better area to focus on than your sleep habits and sleep patterns. Sleep is essential to your overall health, both physical and mental. It affects so many areas of your daily life, from energy, to weight loss or weight gain and mood.

TMD Do’s and Don’ts To Get You Through the Holiday Season

Center for TMJ & Sleep Solutions NW, Patient Education, TMD

When living with TMD, it can be difficult to remember what is beneficial and what can be a trigger for the disorder. While receiving professional help for TMD, we will provide you with methods to cause relief and give a guideline for ways to help you enjoy your daily life. We understand that, during this special holiday time, it can be easy to succumb to the pressures and indulge in an activity that might not be the best to support your TMD issues. We have compiled a list of recommendations to help you remember how to help yourself and what you should avoid.

A Holiday I Bet You Didn’t Know About

Center for TMJ & Sleep Solutions NW, Patient Education

December is here, which means the holiday season is in full swing. Although the holidays will be a little different this year, with cancelled holiday parties and family get-togethers, many of the stressors of the holiday will still remain. We can all appreciate and look forward to the new year quickly approaching. Besides being eager to say goodbye to the year that we have had, there is another fun reason to welcome the new year. Continue reading to learn about a little-known fun holiday celebrated on January 3rd.

The Relationship Between Sleep and Energy

Center for TMJ & Sleep Solutions NW, Patient Education, Sleep Apnea

Do you find that there are days your body feels energized and other days your body feels so sluggish you can’t imagine how you will make it through the day? Maybe your body feels great, but you are having a difficult time focusing on a task and feel your mind wandering. A Harvard Health Publishing article discusses how there is a direct relationship between sleep and the energy level you are feeling the next day. Read on to find out more.

Chronic Headaches

Center for TMJ & Sleep Solutions NW, Patient Education

What makes your head hurt? There are many causes for headaches, and it’s important to understand what they are in order to treat patients properly. One type of headache we often see in our patients is of vascular origin. There are nerve endings around the blood vessels that cushion and protect the brain from injury. When the blood vessels swell, they push against the brain causing a vascular headache. A migraine would be one example of this, where the nerve endings are hyper sensitized by a stimulus such as jaw joint inflammation or inflammation of the nose and sinuses.

Do You Enjoy The Outdoors?

Center for TMJ & Sleep Solutions NW, Patient Education

We hope you have been able to get outside and enjoy the warmer weather we are having. While COVID has put restrictions on our lives, we are fortunate to live in an area where we can exercise outdoors. Exercise is important for keeping our bodies in shape and elevating our mood. It can also reduce the risk of some diseases and illness. In fact, it can protect against lung damage and lessen the effects of COVID-19. Read more to find out how exercise plays an important role in keeping us safe and healthy.