A huge congratulations are in order for our very own Dr. Kevin S. Berry who recently obtained a Master of Science in Orofacial Pain and Oral Medicine from the prestigious Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry USC. The 37-month program provided Dr. Berry with advanced training and knowledge of orofacial pain and oral medicine including [...]
Along with being dubbed both National Yoga Month and National Potato Month, September is also on the calendar for a significantly less fun observance: National Pain Awareness Month. First declared in 2001, National Pain Awareness Month is an effort by the American Chronic Pain Association to raise awareness about the widespread and devastating effects [...]
One of the challenges that doctors face in talking about pain of the face and mouth, what we call orofacial pain, is that not everyone uses the same terms. We’re not just talking about how some people might call temporomandibular joint disorders TMJ while others use TMD. Instead, we’re talking about doctors [...]
People often don’t notice temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ) until it becomes an acute problem. Acute TMJ flare-ups are associated with locked jaw, extreme pain in the jaw joints and/or muscles, headaches, ringing in the ears, and more symptoms. When this happens, you might be given treatments to alleviate the current state, such [...]
There’s no time like the winter time! Beautiful white snowscapes, steaming hot chocolate, glistening icicles along the eaves of the house, and increased jaw pain — wait, what? Despite the things that make winter great, the cold weather can also come with heightened TMJ symptoms for many people. Though some people think pain fluctuation based [...]
Trigger point injection (TPI) is a great treatment for chronic pain. It’s a very effective approach to treat both direct and referred pain. It’s a noninvasive treatment that can provide long-lasting relief for headaches and many other types of chronic pain. The risk of complications is very low, and [...]
If you keep up with the news lately, you will see how we are facing a severe opioid epidemic, with overdoses happening more often to a wider cross section of our society. The “Prescribed to Death” Memorial has been put in place in DC, calling attention to the dramatic toll these drugs are taking on [...]
The nation has finally seen fit to declare a national emergency over the use of prescription opioid pain relievers. However, there are other classes of medication that are also very deadly, are also being abused, and may also need to be better controlled. These are over-the-counter (OTC) pain medications. Although most of us think it’s [...]
Is losing weight one of your New Year’s resolutions? Are you starting to flag on it? Well, if so, consider this incentive: patients who lost weight were able to see their pain reduce in many joints throughout the body, not just the joints that have to bear the weight. This means not only that weight [...]
For most people with temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), the condition can be managed without lasting impacts. Without treatment, however, TMJ may lead to chronic jaw pain, recurring headaches and other adverse effects. TMJ Causes and Effects The effects of TMJ, and how long they linger, depend largely on the source [...]
Because temporomandibular joint disorder is characterized by a number of symptoms that are common in other medical problems or health ailments, many patients suffer through multiple attempts at diagnosis before arriving at a neuromuscular dentist with experience in correctly assessing and successfully treating TMJ disorder. But as a recent Washington Post article [...]
Unless you have been living under a rock you know that marijuana is now legal for medical and recreational use in four states. One of those four being our very own Colorado. A staggering 23 states and Washington, DC have legalized medical marijuana. Clearly there is something about marijuana that makes it useful as medication, [...]
Chronic pain is one of the most common and disabling conditions in America, with 100 million Americans—and nearly half of all women—suffering. And many of our treatments don’t work well enough, but new research might change that. The existing model for pain management says hormones like estrogen alter a common pain circuit present in both [...]
We periodically warn about the risks of common drugs, which many people use to help with control of TMJ jaw pain, headaches, and more. It's important to understand that over-the-counter doesn't mean "safe." Now a new study is highlighting the seriousness of risks that come with these common medications, showing that [...]
In Greek mythology, Scylla and Charybdis flanked either side of a narrow channel, commonly thought to be the Strait of Messina, and threatened all vessels that passed between them. Scylla, a monster with six heads, would reached down from her cave and grab sailors from ships, while Charybdis, was a monster that sucked in the [...]
Clinical psychiatrist Michael E. Schatman has argued that opioid therapy is the only hope left for managing chronic pain. However, reading his description of the situation strikes one as somewhat odd for many reasons. Opioid Therapy Is Already Common Probably the main reason why Dr. Schatman's remarks, "maybe it's time to stop fighting" against opioid [...]
What do you do when the medicine your doctor is prescribing is actually causing you more pain than it is relieving? Codeine is a commonly-prescribed opioid medication that is used as a morphine alternative because it is less powerful and has a lower risk of addiction and overdose. However, researchers at the University of Adelaide [...]
Some researchers have postulated that singing is actually the fundamental communication method for humans, that we evolved a songbird-like voice for serenades before we learned to talk. And some research suggests that, far from a scream, tapping into this primal song may actually help us cope with pain. Song before Speech? Charles Darwin was the [...]
We all hope to avoid pain; however, in certain situations, it can be even worse to watch another person suffer. When our friends or family are hurting, we can endure serious emotional distress. Now, new research indicates that we can also experience actual physical pain in response to theirs. When Caring Causes Pain A German [...]
Because they are unrelenting and difficult to treat, chronic conditions tend to leave people feeling hopeless. Sadly, according to a recent study, these negative feelings often force many people to end their lives prematurely. Increased Suicide Risk New research indicates that people are more likely to commit suicide when they suffer from migraines and other [...]
New research indicates that people are at a higher suicide risk when they suffer from unrelenting pain, especially when they don't know the cause of their symptoms. Published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, the study was based on data associated with nearly 5 million subjects who'd been treated in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs [...]
To alleviate unrelenting pain, countless Americans take prescription medications, which provide only brief periods of relief. Unfortunately, most of these powerful drugs come with a host of unpleasant side-effects, including dizziness, drowsiness and the potential for addiction. Now, a new study indicates that opioid pain medications can also promote erectile dysfunction, even after only a [...]
Countless Americans suffer from some type of chronic pain, which makes day-to-day life virtually intolerable. In many instances, medical practitioners are able to identify the cause of unrelenting pain; however, in some cases, the causes remain unclear. When patients complain about vague pain, they're often looked at with suspicion, especially when they request pain medications [...]
Chronic pain is a significant issue in the United States; however, until now, it wasn't apparent just how prevalent it had become. The Institute of Medicine of The National Academies reports that approximately 33 percent of all Americans are suffering from chronic pain. This equates to about 100 million people, meaning pain affects more people [...]
Pain isn't just unpleasant; it's a signal from your brain that something is wrong. The following video explains how TMJ disorder can create ear-aches, headaches, facial discomfort and even migraines. Learn more about TMJ, and then contact Dr. Berry online or call today to learn about treatment options that [...]
Recently the Women's Advocates organization has called for the Institute of Medicine to put money, time, and effort towards confronting and ending the problem of chronic pain for women. Chronic pain is caused by a variety of different conditions that are not the most widely understood or diagnosed, including TMJ disorder. Those who suffer from [...]
