I am a 49 year old woman who has seen the quality of my life slowly diminish over the course of the last 15 years with a marked decline in enjoyment of life in the past 4 years.
I suffer from headaches which can take me out of daily functioning for 2 days at a time and can have duration of up to10 days. I never really feel pain free and clear headed and it is rare that I can experience joy any more. I usually wake up in the morning with pain on the left side of the top of my head. Sometimes it comes on in the middle of the day. On a pain scale it can vary from 4 to 9. When the pain reaches an 8 or 9 I need to go to bed. It is difficult to sleep when I am in pain. Often I wake and the pain is in my teeth and face. Occasionally I experience nausea with the headache. These headaches occur in severe form approximately every two weeks but I almost always have a low grade headache. In addition if I haven’t been talking for a period of two or more hours when I open my mouth and eat I have experienced piercing pain in my jaw. This so startled me that I brought this to the attention of my dentist.
The above is how I would describe my life prior to being treated by Dr. Fleisher. I was actually not living my life to the fullest of its potential and this was beginning to affect my family and work atmospheres. The sick days began to pile up and I often had to leave work in the middle of the day. I limited my activity to work the essentials of housekeeping all but disappearing from a social life.
I was referred by my doctor when I told her of the declining quality of life I had come to accept as status quo.
The following is a summary of the medical investigations I embarked upon in order to find the source and a treatment for this condition.
Here is my history: With the introduction to each medical professional the question remained “Can you help me?” I started with my family doctor and she prescribed migraine medicine which was ineffective. Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen and ASA are ineffective in providing relief. If I had a headache which could be as often as twice a month I would have to miss work or family time.
•I suffered in bed unable to manage even the simplest of tasks.
•I have had a CT scan to rule out whatever it is they rule out with a CT scan.
•I have had a sinus x-ray.
•I have been to a TMJ specialist.
•I have been to a neurologist.
•I have been to the optometrist.
•I have been to the dentist.
•I have been to a chiropractor and a massage therapist.
•I have most recently been to a neck and headache pain specialist who suggested freezing the trigeminal nerve. Well now sticking needles into nerves so close to the brain freaked me out so I did not pursue that.
Most of the above specialists have determined that the cause of these headaches, which can vary in length from two days to ten, to be as a result of hormonal changes. I do not accept this default cause in which case more women would be suffering similarly to me.
What I can tell you about the nature of headaches is I wake up with them. I do wear a splint at night and have done so for at least 20 years. It fits over my lower teeth so I can wear it during the day if I am aware of clenching and I can still use my upper palette for speaking. I have been told by dentists in the past I am a heavy bruxer.
When I arrived in Winnipeg Dr. Fleisher explained to me the source of my pain and how he was going to treat it. Replacing my splint with a new model which does not allow my back teeth to touch and equilibrating my bite has provided headache relief. As a result the quality of my life has flourished. I sleep well; I have wonderful energy and have discovered happiness again. I am no longer threatened with a dark cloud of impending excruciating pain. I no longer suffer headaches.
I am grateful to Dr. Fleisher for treating me and allowing me to experience life in a fuller manner.
– Marian R., Richmond Hill, ON