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All You Need to Know About TMJ

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Being in good health is vital and without this, life can be unbearable if you have to bear with jaw pain. When you experience pain on either side of your head in front of your ears, you might be suffering from TMJ disorder. TMJ disorder is one of the most common pains that people experience from time to time. Luckily, if you are experiencing TMJ in Dundalk, you can get help at CHOICE Pain & Rehabilitation Center.  

TMJ disorder 101

The temporomandibular joint is found at the point where your mandibles meet the skull on both sides of your head. The temporomandibular joint enables you to speak, yawn, drink, chew and do everything else that involves opening and closing your mouth. If any or both joints are aching, this can be an indication of TMJ, and you require to seek medical attention.

Apart from pain in these joints, some other symptoms and signs are associated with TMJ disorder, and they include the following:

  •         Facial pain
  •         Jaw locking
  •         Difficulty chewing
  •         Uneven bite
  •         Tenderness in the jaw
  •         Earaches
  •         Headaches

Furthermore, when chewing or opening your mouth, you will experience other signs like a grating sensation and a clicking sound.

Causes of TMJ disorder

TMJ is a very complicated joint because of its structure and mechanism. It integrates sliding motions and hinge action to enable you to speak and chew. The bones are covered by cartilage, while the small disc acts as the shock absorber. Moreover, this disc also separates the bones to maintain smooth movement.

Due to the complex and heavy usage of this joint, it is susceptible to diverse kinds of damage that include the following:

  •         Worn down or misaligned disc
  •         Teeth grinding and excessive use due to clenching of the jaw
  •         Arthritic damage of the cartilage
  •         Acute trauma such as a blow to the head

There are cases whereby the TMJ disorder comes without any specific reason. Those who suffer from this TMJ disorder prefer using home remedies such as massage and relaxation techniques to ease muscle tension. However, when these techniques fail to work for you, it is high time that you should contact CHOICE Pain & Rehabilitation Center.

TMJ disorder treatment and diagnosis

When you visit your specialist at CHOICE Pain & Rehabilitation Center, the physician performs an extensive examination to get to the root cause of your problem. They also review your medical history and do other advanced diagnostic activities such as taking the MRI or X-ray of your jaw. After that, they recommend the most appropriate treatment for your TMJ disorder. Severe cases may require surgery.

The kinds of treatment for TMJ disorder include the following:-

  •         Corrective dental treatment
  •         Oral medications
  •         Botox injections
  •         Cognitive-behavioral therapy
  •         Steroid injections

Do not allow TMJ pain to ruin your reason to smile or enjoy a bite of your favorite meal. If you are suffering from TMJ disorder, do not hesitate to book an appointment with your reliable physician at CHOICE Pain & Rehabilitation Center.

Michelle has been a part of the journey ever since Bigtime Daily started. As a strong learner and passionate writer, she contributes her editing skills for the news agency. She also jots down intellectual pieces from categories such as science and health.

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Health

What Interferes with Successful Breastfeeding?

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While breastfeeding is ideal, it comes with many difficulties new parents might face.

After experiencing the intensity of labor and delivery, many new parents are left exhausted. Despite this fatigue and surviving pospartum, new parents soon learn the importance of managing the needs of an infant. Putting aside their own desires, parents learn to quickly adapt.

Exhaustion and recovery are not the only things that discourage parents from breastfeeding. There are a variety of other woes that can make it difficult for a lactating parent to continue to choose this option. 

While 83 percent of women breastfeed at the beginning of postpartum, there is a drastic reduction by 6 months, resulting in only 56% of babies still being breastfed. 

Engorged Breasts

When a lactating woman’s milk comes in, she may experience intense pain and discomfort. The breasts typically become overly filled with milk because they have not yet regulated their supply. This engorgement can continue throughout the breastfeeding journey for a variety of reasons.

If the baby’s schedule changes, a woman’s breasts can become overly full. If the parent misses a feeding, breasts can experience discomfor which can lead to breastfeeding infection. If a woman becomes preoccupied at work and does not make time to pump, she can experience discomfort. 

If breast engorgement is not treated properly, milk ducts can become blocked, and if a woman does not work to move the milk through her breasts (via feeding her baby, pumping, or expressing the milk), this engorgement can lead to further problems and may cause clogged milk ducts.

Infection

One of the biggest concerns beyond the pain a woman experiences with engorgement is infection. This is known as mastitis, and leads to a woman experiencing not only breast pain and warm breast tissue, but also flu-like symptoms that come with fever, chills, headache, and further exhaustion.

In order to help prevent infection, regular feedings are essential. Often, the best mastitis treatment, at least for early symptoms, is to massage the breast in a warm shower and express the extra milk.

Furthermore, by working with an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), parents can have a great resource on how to best deal with, treat, and alleviate these problems. 

Not only is an IBCLC a great resource in helping prevent breast infection, but a great source for your breastfeeding journey to encourage and educate you in best practices. 

The best way to achieve breastfeeding success is to utilize the many tools that an IBCLC offers. 

Burnout

To exclusively breastfeed your baby can be quite overwhelming and exhausting. Between nightly feedings, cluster feedings, and pumping sessions for working mothers, breastfeeding is difficult to maintain. Unless a woman is properly supported by her family, friends, and workplace, the chances that a woman will continue to breastfeed are significantly impacted.

Culture also impacts the likelihood of a baby being breastfed beyond 6 months. The CDC discovered that parents in the Southeast United States are less likely to breastfeed their children past six months. This was in contrast to the Northwest, where business policies and the culture is more breastfeeding-friendly and supportive. 

Conclusion

Despite the nutritional benefits afforded to a breastfed baby, there are many obstacles that can be discouraging for parents on their breastfeeding journey. From exhaustion to pain to lack of supoort, parents have many reasons to give up. 

To increase your chances of success, surround yourself with supportive individuals, reach out to an IBCLC, also known as lactation consultants, and gain the necessary tools required to provide your child with the healthiest option available – you!

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