My name is Dr. Bob Brown and my goal is to help readers get to the root of what might ail them and guide them to seek care that treats cause of the ailment and not just mask symptoms with medications.
Let me start our journey together by sharing a bit of my story. I am 74 and have spent my life engaged in high-level competitive sports like college football, skiing and tennis. Injuries usually follow such activity and I am no exception. I’ve had two hip replacements, a shoulder replacement, a broken neck requiring three fused vertebrae and the loss of most of my right rotator cuff. Yet, despite all this and my senior status in AARP, I have no pain and no arthritis.
How is this possible? Possibly luck. A good genetic makeup might have contributed. Mostly, though, it is the practice of homeopathic medicine. Homeopathic medicine, among other things, uses holistic tests to determine the root cause of any pain from which a patient might be suffering. The entire patient must be taken into consideration to complete a proper diagnosis and not just place a chemical band aid on symptoms.
One of my most valuable life lessons occurred when my youngest daughter, Michelle, was born 36 years ago. At a very early age she was diagnosed with severe asthma. Doctors gave her medicine and inhalers that would make her cry because the adrenaline-like action of the medicine would cause extreme tension and stress.
By then, I had begun a career as an orthodontist and had familiarity with traditional medical practices. Because of Michelle I took up the study of homeopathic medicine. I used holistic tests and discovered the root cause of Michelle’s breathing problems was food allergies. Within six months Michelle was asthma-free as long as those foods were not consumed. Today, Michelle is a world champion in the martial arts and runs a very successful business in physical fitness. None of this would have been possible if she remained dependent upon inhalers and pills.
I transferred this approach into my orthodontic practice. Patients would complain to me about headaches and pain in their jaw joints. I discovered that sleep apnea can be a large factor in headaches and pain related to jaw joints. If you have a large neck and your partner complains of snoring, any headaches or jaw pain may be the result of sleep apnea. Basically, sleep apnea disrupts the airway in the back of your mouth and is a factor in not achieving the sleep necessary to be at your best every day.
Because of my belief in holistic medicine I began the study of sleep apnea and became a member of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine in 2005. The large masks and breathing apparatus are not necessarily the best treatment for sleep apnea. A simple appliance inserted in your mouth at bedtime will almost always better serve the patient.
Many people who believe they are suffering from migraine headaches are actually suffering from Myofascial pain which, unlike migraines, is not related to blood pressure changes in the brain but spasms in the muscles of the jaw. A sleep test can determine if sleep apnea is the root cause. A simple questionnaire can get you started.
For more information about treatment for sleep apnea or other topics discussed in this article, feel free to contact Dr. Brown at 925-548-8385 or at drbobdds@aol.com. He looks forward to hearing from you!
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