Depression, Stress and Low Self Esteem

Chronic pain patients, such as migraine sufferers, experience low self-esteem, depression, and stress. Online tests help detect symptoms of chronic illness.

Chronic pain is disabling

Do you suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, or anxiety?  Patients of chronic pain, migraine headaches, rheumatoid arthritis, or fibromyalgia often struggle with emotional issues that cause marital problems, feelings of low self-worth, panic attacks, and severe chronic depression.

Below is a review of six helpful trusted websites that offer online personality quizzes that are relevant to mental health conditions and relationship difficulties often experienced by migraine patients, and other sufferers of chronic illness.

1) Depression Self-Assessment

Take the test– Mayo Clinic

Depression is a severe emotional disorder felt by the majority of chronic illness sufferers.  Depression can be difficult to catch; depressed people who have suffered their condition for years often don’t know they are depressed, and don’t remember a time when they didn’t live under a cloud of sadness.  If you suspect you suffer from depression, then seek psychological therapy immediately.

2) What’s Your Worry Profile?

Take the test– Whole Living

Are you a worrywart?  Excessive worrying leads to anxiety, nervousness, tension, high blood pressure, and chronic stress headaches.

3) The Sustainable Marriage Quiz

Take the test– Psych Central

The majority of migraine patients are women, with millions of patients suffering from debilitating head pain, frequent nausea, visual disturbances (auras), fatigue, and extreme sensitivity to migraine triggers such as bright lights, scents, certain foods, and changes in weather.  Sadly, migraine patients suffer disability, in addition to poverty and marital problems that lead to divorce.

4) Quiz: How High Is Your Self Esteem?

Take the test– Beliefnet

Ask any migraineur what emotions she most associates with migraine illness, and she will likely tick off feelings such as loneliness, uselessness, sadness, frailty, despair, and low self-esteem.  Such is the situation with many people who suffer chronic illness, as they feel that nobody in their social circle relates to their situation, and that nobody is able to help. In order to build your migraine support system, it is crucial to build confidence, optimism, and feelings of self-worth.

5) Stress Screener

Take the test– Mental Health America

How stressed are you?  This informative stress test will inquire about health conditions such as emotional eating, insomnia, digestive problems, anxiety, and chemical addiction.

6) Migraine Pop Quiz: How well do you understand your Headaches?

Take the test– Migravent.com

Confused about migraine symptoms?  This migraine quiz will answer questions like:

• What’s the difference between a migraine and a headache?
• How many different kinds of migraines are there?
• What is a migraine with aura?
• If I have migraines, should I avoid eating chocolate?

Related reading:

6 Migraine Myth-conceptions

7 Websites that will Change your Life and Make you Happier

Seven Traits of Highly Happy People with Chronic Illness

Sources:

Chronic Illness & Self Esteem Issues

Live Your Life Well: Stress Screener

What’s Your Worry Profile?

Depression self-assessment – MayoClinic.com

Quiz: How High Is Your Self Esteem?  – Beliefnet.com

The Sustainable Marriage Quiz

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4 Reasons to Start Stocking Lightbulbs

Per the 2012 alternative energy act, compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) will replace incandescent bulbs, causing headaches for migraine sufferers all over the USA.

Starting next year, the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) will take effect, phasing out all old-fashioned 100-watt bulbs, or electric incandescent lighting, in favor of energy saver compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs).  For many who oppose the “Incandescent Light Bulb Ban,” the switch to CFLs poses serious health risks.  For migraine patients, it means having to cope with another migraine headache trigger caused by eye strain.

1) Curly-Q light Bulbs: How to turn your Kitchen into a Hazardous Waste Dump

Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) are glass bulbs that contain argon and mercury gas.  When stimulated by electricity, activated mercury particles start producing electromagnetic radiation, which in turn emits lovely, violet-tinged fluorescent indoor lighting for your viewing pleasure.  Just be careful when handling CLFs- break one, and you become personally responsible for disposing of hazardous waste material.  (You already knew mercury was poisonous, didn’t you?)  The EPA states that airborne mercury can be extremely hazardous to your health, and advises using the following steps when a curly lightbulb breaks:

1. Ventilate the immediate area.
2. Avoid using a vacuum
3. Gently sweep broken fluorescent light bulb particles into plastic Ziploc bag, or a glass or metal container.
4. Use duct tape to pick up stray bits of mercury and glass.
5. Wipe area with disposable wet wipes.
6. For rug or carpet cleanup, follow steps 1-5, and then finish with vacuum.
7. Dispose of all contents at your neighborhood hazardous waste collection center.  Check Earth 911 for nearest locations.

2) Incandescent Bulbs are Migraine-Friendly.  CFLs…Not so much.

Migraineurs are photophobic, ultra-sensitive to bright lighting.  For many migraine patients, no amount of suffering compares to having to endure hours of overhead fluorescent lighting at work, school, or in their own homes.  Bright track lighting, stark white backgrounds, and black and white stripes cause torturous head pain for most migraine sufferers.  Unless makers of incandescent light bulbs meet the new energy-efficient standards enforced under EISA, soft white light bulbs will become a thing of the past.  Goodbye warm, soft glow and romantic lighting.  Hello, glaring daggers of light beams.

3) Oxidized Mercury and Mutant Fish

Okay, mercury floating around in the atmosphere is perfectly fine and natural, no worries there.  But once large amounts of mercury become “oxidized” by sunlight and bromine, that’s when the trouble begins; that’s when it turns to methylmercury, natural mercury’s evil twin.  Methylmercury, when ingested by plants and animals, eventually causes the following damage to human beings:

• Central nervous system impairment
• Heart disease
• Damaged immune system
• Brain damage in young children, or in utero

4) You Can’t Dim a Fluorescent Bulb

Fluorescent lighting is overly bright; it also doesn’t cooperate with dimmer switches.  That’s because the technology for dimming fluorescent bulbs still awaits perfection, while incandescent bulbs easily adjusts to dimmer switch settings.  In the meantime, your choices of lighting will include a) brilliant light, comparable to staring directly into the sun or b) total darkness.

Also read:

Headaches can Cause Blindness- 4 Facts about Ocular Migraines

Managing your Migraines at Work- 4 Healthy Changes in Attitude

Sources:

The mercury is rising on compact fluorescent light bulbs

Study offers new insight into what happens to mercury deposited onto Arctic snow from the atmosphere

When A ‘Curly’ Lightbulb Breaks

Do Fluorescent Lights Trigger Migraines?

Image credits:

Innovation, Staring at the sun, Mutant

The epilepsy drug Topamax is popular for treating migraines, but headache relief comes at a price- memory loss. To improve your memory, try these online memory games.

Concentrate on this…

Migraine pain is synonymous with words like “torture,” “misery,” “debilitating,” and “agonizing.”  It’s no wonder that many migraine headache sufferers will do almost anything to get headache relief, even if it means opting for a headache remedy that causes unfavorable side effects.  Topamax, an epilepsy drug, is an anti-seizure medication that is also used to treat migraines, obesity, and alcoholism.  Unfortunately, Topamax also causes the following side effects:

• Short-term memory loss
• Difficulty concentrating
• Weakened cognitive reasoning skills
• Decreased vocabulary
• Difficulty organizing thoughts
• Brain fog

Natural ingredients for migraines

Alternative,home-based management for migraines are gaining popularity because they improve neurological health and your body’s response to inflammation, without causing more side effects than conventional migraine treatments, and usually with dramatically fewer side effects.

Some popular nutrients for migraines are magnesium, butterbur extracts, riboflavin, and coenzyme Q10.

Memory games that reverse memory loss

If Topamax is your preferred migraine treatment, then it is imperative that you strengthen your thinking skills.  Just as your abs, biceps, or hamstring muscles become weakened with inactivity, so do your brain segments.  Choose from a variety of online brain games that focus on specific learning cognitive skills.

Here are some of the best brain exercises for improving memory:

Attention games:

Count the F’s Brain Teaser

Are you smarter than a chimp?

Inside and Outside

See It, Hear It

Memory games:

Brain Exercises for the Weekend

Memory Matrix

Flex Your Memory

Speed Match

Patterns and numbers:

Tower of Hanoi

Tipping the Scales

The Empty Triangle

Visual puzzles, brainteasers, and optical illuions:

Catch 33

Is the inner shape a real circle?

Pick the missing piece

Are those 2 rows perfectly parallel?

Color tile optical illusion

Language and logic:

In which direction is the bus pictured below traveling?

Words in the brain

Word Bubbles

Crossword Puzzles

Math puzzles:

The Fork in the Road

The Really, Really, Really Big Number

Link-a-Pix

Sudoku

Sources:

Free Memory Games – Brain Games for Adults – RealAge

Test Your Brain With Brain Teasers and Games- SharpBrains

Epilepsy Drug Linked to Memory Problems

Does chocolate really trigger migraines, or might chocolate possibly improve health for migraine sufferers? Studies and opinions vary. Here are the facts on chocolate and your brain. Chocolate, not really a migraine trigger!

1) We want chocolate, therefore we migraine…

Many neurologists believe that the amino acid tyramine that occurs naturally in chocolate is the main trigger for most migraines.  However, other scientists speculate that women tend to crave chocolate before having a migraine attack, particularly during times of stress, menstruation, menopause, and skipped meals.  (Think chicken and egg.)

2) Chocolate or carob- it’s your call

In a recent study on chocolate’s effect on migraines, test subjects received 60-gram bars of chocolate or “placebo” bars of carob.  After 24-hours, migraine sufferers who ate the “real” chocolate didn’t notice any reaction to the tyramine (migraine trigger) in chocolate, nor did the combination of chocolate with other “red light” foods have any impact.

The people who ate the carob…we don’t know, but we think they wish they had gotten the chocolate.

3) I heart chocolate!

According to the British Medical Journal, eating chocolate may boost cardiovascular health.  A study that included more than 114,000 subjects suggested noticeable heart health benefits among people who eat chocolate.

4) Chocolate has magnificent magnesium…

Chocolate contains magnesium, a nutrient noted to benefit neurological health.  Additionally, in some situations, magnesium deficiency highly correlates with migraine attacks.

5) …and restorative riboflavin

Riboflavin, another nutrient that improves your body’s response to painful inflammation, is another ingredient in chocolate.  Chocolate is starting to look good now, isn’t it?

6) Chocolate is pure bliss.  Really.

Chocolate doesn’t just taste good; it also makes you feel good. Chocolate contains significant amounts of anandamide, a cannabinoid akin to THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), a chemical found in marijuana.  Anandamide, a transmitter that the brain produces naturally to create feelings of well-being, comes from the word “ananda,” Sanskrit for bliss.

Foods that Relieve Stress and Improve your Mood- The Fab 4

7) Chocolate: there is no substitute

Other foods that have similar amounts of anandamide don’t produce the same feelings of happiness you get from eating a piece of rich chocolate.  That’s because chocolate contains chemicals that slow down the digestion of anandamide, allowing the pleasant feelings to linger long after you nibble your last bite of chocolate fudge cake.

8) You can’t OD on chocolate, but you can have a lot of fun trying

Lest you think that overindulgence in chocolate could possibly lead to altered states of consciousness, know this: you would have to eat about 25 pounds of chocolate in order to receive a “high” similar to that of marijuana.

9) Chocolate is like kryptonite to the dark forces of evil

10) Another reason to visit Paris in the fall

In the US, any food item that has at least 10% cacao qualifies as a chocolate, and most of the beneficial properties of chocolate become weakened by the addition of sugar, water, milk, or other added ingredients.  In European countries, such as Germany, chocolate contains upwards of 30% cocoa beans, with dark chocolate containing even more.

Related reading:

3 Migraine Elimination Diet Cookbooks, plus Sample Recipes

Which Foods Trigger the Most Migraines? See our Checklist

Sources:

Good news about chocolate & migraine

Migraines, Marijuana, and Chocolate

Chocolate on the Brain

Chocolate consumption and cardiometabolic disorders: systematic review and meta-analysis

Migraine headaches zap your self-confidence, causing feelings of loneliness and low self-esteem. To manage migraines, you need a support system of friends and family.

Q: What disease, shared by millions, leaves its sufferers feeling hopeless, miserable, and alone?

A: Migraines.

Although millions of Americans, mostly women, suffer from some form of migraine illness, such as migraine with aura or cluster headaches, most migraineurs feel that nobody understands their chronic pain, and many feel detached from friends, family, and coworkers, especially when migraines strike.

Bring your friends close, and your family closer

Curing migraine disease requires determination, self-confidence, positive thinking, and lots of hope.  To ensure success, it is imperative that you build an emotional, goal-oriented support system.  Include your migraine specialist and other physicians, but also include your closest friends and family members, select coworkers, and other concerned acquaintances.

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Here are five tips for building a support system, plus a downloadable worksheet, My Support System.

Talk about it.

Have an honest, face-to-face with your spouse or closest friend, and tell them about your feelings of isolation, or anger.  If needed, get a therapist involved.  Keeping your emotions bottled up leads to increased stress, which in turn elevates your migraine symptoms. Less stress means fewer migraines.

Also read: Migraine Sufferer to World: It’s not just a Headache, People!

Join an online forum for migraine patients.

Talking about illness with other sufferers is a great way to get things off your chest without the fear of offending, criticizing, or having others call you an “attention seeker.”  When the words flow freely, you might even learn a few things about yourself that you didn’t realize.  Communication breeds solutions.

Also read: 35 Things you should never tell a Chronic Migraine Sufferer

Befriend people with positive attitudes.

Nothing hurts your chances of success as much as having a pessimistic outlook on life.  Avoid people who tend to moan and complain constantly, and seek out people who are sympathetic, friendly, and full of spirit and life.  Studies show that self-confidence and thinking positively increase your chances of recovery from illness. High hopes lead to high success rates.

Also read: Seven Traits of Highly Happy People with Chronic Illness

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Write it down.

Keeping a migraine journal is an excellent way to track progress, identify migraine headache triggers, and stay motivated.  Keep track of foods you eat every day, including when you eat them, and how you felt afterwards.

Also read: 10 Clues your should Include in your Headache Diary Today

Raise migraine awareness.

Visit some of the many online websites and blogs for migraine patients.  Many organizations host migraine advocacy sites that raise funds for migraine awareness, with the goal of improving medical research for a migraine cure.

Also read: 12 Ways to spread Migraine Awareness without saying a Word

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Sources:

Your Migraine Support System

Build a Support System to Better Cope with Migraine Disease

Be Your Own Cheerleader

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Night sweats, hot flashes, migraines headache, and irregular menstrual cycle are all common menopause symptoms; learn how to treat menopausal migraine headache.

Migraine Triggers under the Sun

You already know that the number of potential migraine triggers outnumber the amount of selections at your favorite ice cream parlor.  Literally hundreds of headache risks linger around your atmosphere, waiting for the right moment to strike; from strong perfumes and cigarette smoke, to fluorescent lighting, hidden MSG, and the weather…some migraine triggers are easily avoided, and some are not.

Is it Menopause at Work?

If you’re a middle-aged woman who suffers from chronic migraine headaches, then it’s important to recognize the symptoms of perimenopause (pre-menopause).  Hormonal fluctuations in your body are common causes of migraine headaches, but they can be cured with treatment.  Many women who find out they suffer from menopause choose to treat symptoms with Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) or hysterectomy surgery.

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25 Likely Symptoms of Menopause

1. Increased migraine headache symptoms, or change in migraine behavior
2. Hot flashes, including moist, clammy hands and night sweats
3. Heart palpitations
4. Mood swings, agitation, general weepiness, or depression
5. Insomnia
6. Irregular menstrual cycle, including unusually heavy or light periods, missed periods, or erratic cycles
7. Chronic fatigue
8. Anxiety, nervousness, or panic attacks
9. Brain fog, difficulty concentrating
10. Short-term memory loss
11. Sore muscles and joints, and muscular tension
12. Sore breasts
13. Stomach problems, such as indigestion, heartburn, bloating, belching, nausea, or gas
14. Hair loss, hair thinning, or increased bodily hair growth
15. Dizziness, loss of equilibrium
16. Tinnitus
17. Tingling or numbness in the  extremities, such as hands and feet
18. Painful, swollen gums
19. Increased allergic reactions
20. Weight gain
21. Cracked, dry fingernails
22. Halitosis, bad taste in mouth, burning tongue sensation
23. Irregular body odor
24. Decreased libido
25. Incontinence, leakage while sneezing, coughing, or laughing

Related reading:

11 Headache Triggers you Never Thought Of

Wine, Cheese, Perfume, and other Headache Triggers

Sources:

Perimenopause: Symptoms – MayoClinic.com

35 Menopause Symptoms, Signs of Menopause and Perimenopause

Perimenopause – Symptoms, Treatments, Weight Gain, and More

Migraines and perimenopause – EmpowHER.com

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Even if you suffer from chronic pain, such as migraine illness, you can change your life, find happiness, and find inner peace, with positive thinking!

Yesterday, we talked about Seven Traits of Highly Happy People with Chronic Illness, including such topics as-

• Finding Happiness despite Chronic Pain
• How to Change your Life and feel Happier
• Being your own Best Advocate
• Finding your Inner Peace
• Learning how to Communicate

Easier said than done, right?  Well, we couldn’t agree more!  Everybody needs a bit of inspiration every now and then, even people who don’t suffer from migraine headaches, or other forms of chronic pain.

That said, here are 7 outstanding websites, some of which belong to the leading authors in self-help psychology:

1- Authentic Happiness

Authentic Happiness is the landing base for Martin Seligman’s Positive Psychology, a recent branch of psychology that enriches the scientific method used to analyze and treat patients of emotional illness.  Its main philosophy is, don’t just focus on dysfunctional behavior, but rather influence positively by finding solutions that work for each individual.

2- Happiness in a Storm

Based on her book, Happiness in a Storm, Facing Illness & Embracing Life as a Healthy Survivor, Wendy S. Harpham, M.D. gives practical, inspirational, and scientifically backed advice for patients suffering from cancer, heart disease, diabetes, migraines, or any other chronic illness.  Her positive outlook in the face of illness has aided many of her patients in becoming “Healthy Survivors.”  Get her book on Amazon.

3- Zen Habits

Leo Babauta, author of Zen Habits, is one of the fastest rising stars in the blogosphere, and for good reason.  His blog is aesthetically appealing, well written, and packed with many pearls of wisdom and several good dishes of humor.

4- The Happiness Project

In her study called the Happiness Project, Gretchen Rubin spent an entire year researching the pursuit of happiness, and the best way to attain it.  From a scientific perspective, she examined ancient folklore, psychology, and modern-day trends in philosophy and culture to find clues that she transformed into her “Twelve Personal Commandments.”   Get it at Barnes & Noble.

5- Action for Happiness

The main goal of the Action for Happiness site is to motivate people around the world into thinking positively, raising awareness for social change, and helping to build a better, happier community.  Read their “Ten Keys to Happier Living,” and prepared to be inspired!

6- Happiness.com

The home page for Happiness magazine, this site features lots of happiness-inducing tidbits, such as happiness tips, poems, funny pics, and advice on feeling healthy.  Order yourself a subscription at their Happiness.com site.

7- 1000 Awesome Things

Ever have a hard time just thinking of one thing to feel good about?  Well, in his site, author Neil Pasricha shares his 1,000 favorite things in the universe, ending with broccoflower as #1,000.  Don’t have time to read them all at your computer?  Get his two books, The Book of Awesome, and The Book of Even More Awesome at Walmart.

Related reading:

10 Unusual Chronic Pain Relief Tactics for the Bedridden

Blow Off Migraine Pain with 4 Simple Yoga Breathing Exercises!

Perfumes and Migraines: The Good, the Bad, and the Downright Stinky

Finding Happiness, Despite Migraines- Even if you suffer from chronic pain, such as migraine illness, you can change your life, find happiness, and find inner peace, with positive thinking!

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You deserve to be Happier

Most of us take happiness for granted.  That’s right; if we need medicine for our migraine headaches, we take it, and hope, pray for the best.  When the doctor says that we need to supplement our diet with vitamins, such as magnesium, we dash to the health food store and check it off our list.  We tell ourselves that if these things work, and they relieve our chronic pain, then we will be happy.

What’s wrong with being happy right now?

How to be Happy

People who put happiness off for a later time often end up spending most of their time…unhappy.  Why? Because we don’t always get what we want, no matter how hard we try.  Sometimes, we do get the things we want from life, but not for many, many years to come.  How you choose to spend those “waiting period” years is up to you.

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Finding Happiness despite Chronic Pain

One of the most difficult things to do when you’re in chronic pain is to think positively, look on the bright side, find your inner peace, etc.  Nobody will ever tell you that it’s easy.  However, there are people who suffer from invisible chronic illness who, despite their pain symptoms, express feelings of contentment and happiness.  They’re not a myth; they are real people, just like you and me, who have made the conscious choice to be happy with their lot in life.

Here are some traits that happy chronically ill people have in common:

Hope

Chronically ill people who keep hoping for better days to come are more likely to overcome their illnesses than those who become depressed and despondent.  Likewise, depression, stress, and anxiety contribute to the worsening of pain symptoms.  So, thinking positive thoughts not only makes you happier today, but it also helps to guarantee a happier tomorrow!

Perseverance

Stick-to-itiveness is another common trait among chronically ill, yet happy, people.  That’s because to give up, to give in to the pain, means sinking into despair and regret- a straight path to a life of unhappiness.  When up is the only way to go, the people who persevere make it to the top.

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Acceptance

There’s no such thing as a happy victim.  Among chronic illness patients, the ones who stay focused on the good things in their lives recover quicker than those who choose to dwell only on their misfortunes.

Empathy

When you care about others, you worry less about yourself.  That’s a life lesson that applies to everybody, regardless of health issues.  It’s hard to be unhappy while you’re reaching out to help somebody else who is in need.  Try it!

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Self-advocacy

When you care about your health and happiness, then you don’t leave it up to the winds of fate, not entirely.  There are things you cannot control, like how your body will respond to certain migraine medications or headache triggers, but you do what you can to cope with chronic pain.  People who keep up-to-date with medical research, stay connected via online health forums, and do what they can to raise chronic illness awareness, achieve greater happiness than passive individuals.

Self-esteem

Do you know any truly happy people who don’t believe in themselves?  They don’t exist.  When you know your self-worth, and you don’t allow yourself to be annoyed or insulted by wrong-headed migraine tips, then you allow yourself to live without stress, depression, anxiety, or other feelings that contribute to chronic pain.

Communication

How do you explain your chronic migraine symptoms to others?  Does your family know about the pain that is a constant part of your life?  Do your coworkers know that you sometimes come to work feeling nauseous, that you sometimes slip off to vomit discreetly in the employee restroom?  If you don’t tell them, then how can they help?  One of the biggest factors in learning how to cope with illness, and eventually overcoming pain symptoms, is in learning not to bear the brunt of it alone.

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Related reading:

10 Unusual Chronic Pain Relief Tactics for the Bedridden

Blow Off Migraine Pain with 4 Simple Yoga Breathing Exercises!

Stop Your Next Panic Attack in 4 Simple Steps

Sources:

7 Secrets to Happiness When You Live with Illness

Living Your Best Possible Life When You Have a Chronic Illness

Telltale Signs of TMD Jaw Pain Symptoms- If you suffer from chronic headaches, you might only need TMJ treatment. TMD headaches, often confused with migraines, require neuromuscular dentistry.

What is temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD)?

Any time your temporomandibular joints become unhinged or injured in any way, the result is temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD).  Any imbalance in your jawbone can cause physical distortions, muscle pain, hearing disorders, and fatigue.

Where are the temporomandibular joints (TMJ) located?

Your temporomandibular joints (TMJ) connect your skull (temporal) to your jawbone (mandible), hence the term.  If you press your fingers to your temples, and slowly open and close your mouth, you will feel the hinges of your TMJ’s moving accordingly.  In addition to allowing you to open up and say, “Ahh,” your temporomandibular joints also enable you to move your jawbones from side to side.  Your TMJ’s are some of the most complex, sophisticated joints you have in your body, and they are extremely sensitive to even the slightest impairment.

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Telltale symptoms of TMJ/TMD:

• Facial pain, in your cheeks, jaws, or ears
• Chronic TMD headaches not associated with migraines
• Tinnitus (ringing in the ears, buzzing sounds that don’t go away)
• Ear pressure
• Clicking, cracking, or similar noises while chewing
• Teeth grinding/clenching, either  at nighttime, during the day, or both
• Front teeth that are unnaturally smooth and straight at the edges, with no curves
• Locked jaw
• Overbite (upper teeth completely cover lower teeth when jaws are closed)
• Toothaches while chewing, despite the absence of cavities

What is the best TMJ treatment?

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A competent neuromuscular dentist can provide the best treatment for TMD’s.  There are three phases to curing headaches, tinnitus, and other symptoms caused by TMJ.  They are:

1. Pain treatment- ultra-low frequency electrical stimulators gently massage sore muscle tissue in the affected areas.  Alternatively, acupuncture or acupressure may be effective, as both utilize the technique of releasing pain-killing endorphins.
2. Orthopedic realignment- your neuromuscular dentist will design a custom-fit mouthpiece that you will need to wear as instructed.  The orthopedic device should fit comfortably, and with time, it will balance your bite, reversing muscular tension and spasms that result from long-term misalignment.
3. Ongoing TMD therapy- in order to prevent a recurrence of TMD symptoms, your dentist will determine if your require surgery, orthodontia, or jaw reconstruction.

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Related reading:

10 Unusual Chronic Pain Relief Tactics for the Bedridden

Joint Hypermobility Syndrome Can Cause Migraines, Say Experts

Sources:

TMD Headache- TMJ Headache- Headache Treatment with Neuromuscular Dentistry

Temporomandibular Joint Disorders (TMJ): Symptoms, Treatment and More

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Biofeedback is a popular alternative therapy for relieving migraines and stress.  See why many chronic pain patients opt for biofeedback to cure their headaches.

What is biofeedback?

Biofeedback is a therapeutic method that teaches you how to control bodily functions that are normally out of your control, such as your heart rate, body temperature, tension, blood pressure, and stress reaction.  Using electrodes that he attaches to your skin, a biofeedback practitioner helps you recognize certain bodily reactions to stress; with practice, you will be better able to control these body signals, eventually, without the use of biofeedback equipment.

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Are there different types of biofeedback?

There are three main types of biofeedback.  They are:

1. Electromyography (EMG), which is used to measure muscular stiffness
2. Thermal biofeedback, which measures body temperature
3. Neurofeedback, or electroencephalography (EEG), which measures brain activity

Can biofeedback prevent migraines?

In many cases, yes- Thermal biofeedback is effective for treating adults, teens, and children with chronic migraine headaches or tension headaches.  Additionally, thermal biofeedback is also helpful in treating Raynaud’s disease, an illness that restricts blood flow to the extremities.

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What other illnesses can biofeedback treat?

Biofeedback is a popular non-drug alternative therapy for treating a host of illnesses; millions of Americans use biofeedback treatments to wean themselves off medications, decrease the amount of prescription medications they currently take, or as preventative medicine.

Besides migraines, here are some other illnesses that are treatable through biofeedback:

• Anxiety disorder
• Depression
• Incontinence
• Constipation
• Epilepsy
• Backaches
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Autism
• ADD/ADHD
• Asthma

Related reading:

6 Safe Migraine Treatments for Pregnant Moms

Alternative Migraine Treatments: Thinking outside of the Botox

Sources:

Biofeedback- Mayo Clinic

Biofeedback for the treatment/prevention of migraines

Biofeedback

Alternative Treatments for Migraines and Headaches

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