Do you have any unexplained facial pains or headaches that bother you periodically? Not knowing why you are in pain can be a very frustrating experience. If you?re not a doctor or medical professional, you may have no idea why you sometimes get migraines or you can?t sleep through the night. It?s always important to visit with a medical professional to get a clear diagnosis and treatment plan. However, you can also do some research on your own to learn more about what may be causing your pain. Answers and a diagnosis can help to provide peace of mind.
Interested in learning more about what may be causing your pain or your lack of sleep? Keep reading for more information on issues like sleep apnea, teeth grinding, jaw arthritis, or facial pain.
Reasons You May Be Suffering From Facial Pain or Lack of Sleep
If you are left wondering about your pains and aches, you probably want some answers. You wouldn?t be alone in this. It?s always a better idea to get a diagnosis than to remain with pain that is unresolved.
1. TMJ and jaw arthritis
One thing that may be causing your pain is TMJ. This is actually a very common diagnosis. In the United States alone, there are over 35 million people who suffer from TMJ and have been diagnosed by a medical professional.
One thing to keep in mind if you are wondering whether you have TMJ or not is that it primarily affects women. In fact, more than 95% of people who are diagnosed with TMJ are women. This also tends to be a diagnosis that comes later in life. If you do have TMJ, you will want to find TMJ treatments to help with the pain you may be feeling. Pain can vary when you have TMJ or jaw arthritis. Some people have to work on teeth grinding management because they grind their teeth frequently throughout the day and even when they are sleeping.
Other people tend to have facial pain from their TMJ diagnosis or jaw arthritis. There is also facial pain management available for people who believe this is one of the issues they suffer from. TMJ related or not, 15% of American adults state that they have some sort of chronic facial pain. That can be very uncomfortable to live with and can interfere with your daily life.
2. Sleep apnea
Another condition that can greatly affect your day-to-day life is sleep apnea. Like TMJ and jaw arthritis, it is important to have this condition diagnosed by a medical professional. If you don?t, you can actually suffer from other diseases. Those who don?t get their sleep apnea diagnosed are three times more likely to have heart disease. Sleep apnea is a common diagnosis like TMJ. Around 18 million people living in the United States are diagnosed with it. On top of that, another 2% to 4% have it but have not yet gotten a diagnosis.
When you have sleep apnea, it is probably difficult to sleep throughout the night. Maybe you wake up a few times or maybe you struggle to fall asleep at all each night. A lack of sleep makes it difficult to do your work the next day, take care of yourself, or take care of your family. That?s why it?s essential to get a diagnosis and sleep apnea treatment options so you can start to move forward with your life.
3. Migraines
Migraines are another common cause of lack of sleep and pains. Headaches can be annoying and hard to deal with day after day. Migraines are a different level of pain and difficulty, though. It can be hard to fall asleep with a migraine and difficult to complete work or daily tasks. Visit a medical professional to help figure out whether you have headaches or chronic migraines. Then you can move forward with different treatment options to help you get back to the best version of yourself.
Have you gotten a diagnosis of TMJ, jaw arthritis, migraines, or sleep apnea? Do the treatment plans help resolve pain you feel? Let us know in the comments about your experience dealing with your diagnosis.
