Lake Forest Headaches: Neuromuscular Dentistry Offers Alternatives Treatment for Migraines

Feb. 11, 2010 - PRLog -- Chronic daily headaches  (15 or more headaches/month) affect 3-5% of the population in the United States.  Migraines affect 25% of women and 8% of men during their lifetime.  Approximately half of these patients have their first migraine before age 20.  These statistics are similar to patients with TMJ disorders with female patients making up 80% of all patients.

TMJ disorders are frequently called "The Great Imposter" and headache is the most common symptom.  They earned their name because patients often suffer from migraines, headaches, facial pain, sinus pain or pressure and numerous other symptoms and go for years before the correct diagnosis and treatment is found.  Dr Shapira wrote a widely read article for Sleep and Health Journal article "SUFFER NO MORE: DEALING WITH THE GREAT IMPOSTOR"  (http://sleepandhealth.com/story/suffer-no-more-dealing-great-impostor) that has helped thousands of headache suffers.

Many patients with frequent severe headaches and/or migraines are not aware that Neuromuscular Dentistry is extrermely effective in treating and eliminating headaches and migraines.  Dr Shapira created I HATE HEADACHES LLC and the website http://www.ihateheadaches.org to explain how Neuromuscular Dentistry can be a drug free alternative for patients whose pain is destroying their quality of life.

Another great article on Neuromuscular Dentistry (http://sleepandhealth.com/neuromuscular-dentistry)  on the  Sleep and Health Journal  website was originally published by The American Equilibration Society in their member journal.  Dr Shapira is a long time member of the AES was asked to present his explanation of Neuromuscular Dentistry to this group.  The American Aequilibration Society is the oldest group dedicated to daignosis and treatment of TMJ disorders.  Only a very small percentage of  AES members are trained in Neuromuscular Dentistry.

Dr Shapira has been treating chronic pain patients for many years.  He recently completed treatment on a patient who had a continuous headache for over 50 years.  She was married to a physician who came to Dr Shapira for treatment of Sleep Apnea.  While she was in the office he noticed her holding her head and asked if she had a headache.  She responded yes and he asked if he could try to relieve it.  utilizing spray and stretch techniques as taught by Dr Janet Travell (president Kennedy's Physician) he was able to relieve the headache pain completely in seconds.  He gave her  an Aqualizer appliance to temporarily keep the headache from returning.  When her husband returned for his next visit she accompanied .  Upon their return she reported being headache free for four days until the aqualizer burst and the headache came back.  She then told Dr Shapira that those were her first headache-free days in over 50 years.  A diagnostic neuromuscular orthotic was constructed and her headache disappeared except for an occasional mild headache when an orthotic adjustment was required.  She has since undergone a Neuromuscular dental reconstruction and remains headache free to the amazement of her famil.  Her grandchildren continually ask her "do you still not have a headache?'  They had never known her headache free.   She also reported that the elimination of her husbands snoring along with her headache relief left her more energetic that she had been in years.

Dr Shapira pactices in Gurnee, Illinois with his partner Dr Mark Amidei at Delany Dental Care where they are well known for being the first lake county dentists using CEREC technology to create CAD-CAM retorations in a single visit and for elegant cosmetic reconstructions based on Neuromuscular Dentistry's physiologic principles and for treatment of TMJ disorders, snoring and sleep apnea.  The NHLBI considers Sleep Apnea to be a TMJ disorder and these disorders are also associated with fibromyalgia and Myofascial pain and trigger points.

Dr Shapira is a Diplomate of the American Academy of Pain Management, A Diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine, a Fellow of the International College of CranioMandibular Orthopedics as well as the ICCMO representative to the Alliance of TMD Organizations or TMD Alliance.  He is also a member of the American Equilibration Society, The American Academy of Craniofacial Pain, The International Academy of Comprehensive Aesthetics , the American Academy of Pain Management all member organizations of the TMD Alliance.

Dr Shapira is also president of Chicagoland Dental Sleep Medicine Associates where he treats snoring and sleep apnea as well as some TMJ treatment.  Dr Shapira has a chapter on anti-aging dentistry in a medical textbook  "Anti-Aging  Medical Therapeutics Vol 3" and has lectured at the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine on treatment of Sleep Disorders and TMJ disorders.  HE also teaches courses in Gurnee to dentists from around the United States.  His next course is in April 2010.

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I HATE CPAP! LLC provides information on Sleep Apnea, Dental Sleep Medicine and alternative to CPAP for patients who are CPAP intolerant. The website http://www.ihatecpap.com has valuable information on treating sleep apnea utilizing oral appliances.