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TMJ News Bites
January/February 2011
Volume 3, Issue 1
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Honor that Someone in Your Life
I frequently think of all the people in my life who have been my support since my TMJ surgery, the so-called "wind beneath my wings." On December 27th I lost one of my staunchest supporters, my husband's mother. My own mother died when I was 27 and Norma Cowley generously, graciously, and lovingly filled that void. She always introduced me as her daughter and, more importantly, treated me as her own.
Click here to read more.
Most of us are fortunate in having such support, people without whom life would be incredibly more difficult than it is.
We’d like to hear from you about them: the ones who hold a special place in your heart because they understand how TMJ disorders affect your life and want to make it better. It would be a great way to honor them!
Happy Valentine's Day!
Terrie Cowley
President
Thank You from the Bottom of Our Hearts...
for your heartening response to Don Birk's matching challenge and our end-of-year fundraising campaign. You have made it possible for us to continue our mission. 2011 promises to be another exciting year, highlighted by our 6th scientific meeting, advocacy for more funding for science directed toward temporomandibular and associated conditions, and our continuous monitoring of how federal agencies are "doing the right thing" for TMJ patients. Of course, we will continue to keep you informed on everything about TM disorders.
We're energized by notes we received like the following.
"I just wanted to thank you for your informative website. It assures me that I am not alone with my condition. Great things can be accomplished when voices come together. Contacting our leaders about the issues related to TMJ disorders is extremely helpful. It gives me hope when I think about the many people that are working toward improving the treatments for TMJ and the ways that patients with this disorder are treated on a personal level. Education is power." Suzy
Know that your contributions will be used toward one goal— improving the health care and lives of TMJ patients.
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FDA Orders TMJ Implant Postmarket Surveillance
On February 7th The TMJ Association received a call from Dr. Jeff Shuren, Director of the Center for Devices and Radiological Health, of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advising us of the FDA's action on TMJ implant devices. Terrie Cowley, President of The TMJ Association, met with Dr. Shuren in July 2010 and discussed device issues that TMJ implant patients brought to our attention.
Dr. Shuren sent us the
press release announcement ordering three manufacturers of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) implants to conduct postmarket surveillance studies to determine the length of time before the implants are removed or replaced due to pain or other reasons.
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Good News...Exercise Improves Disc Displacement
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Jaw Pain Can Mean A lot More than TMJ
Heart Health Tips for You and Your Loved Ones
February is National Heart Month and it is important that you and your loved ones recognize the signs and symptoms of a heart attack. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services launched a nationwide campaign,
Make the Call. Don't Miss a Beat. The first step toward surviving a heart attack is learning to recognize the symptoms. The most common signs of heart attack in both women and men are:
- Unusually heavy pressure on the chest, like there's a ton of weight on you
- Sharp upper body pain in the neck, back, and jaw
- Severe shortness of breath
- Cold sweats, and you know it's not menopause
- Unusual or unexplained fatigue (tiredness)
- Unfamiliar dizziness or light-headedness
- Unexplained nausea (feeling sick to the stomach) or vomiting
It is important for you and your loved ones to be able to distinguish symptoms of a heart attack from common ailments.
Treating Pain That Won't Go Away
This New York Times article,
Treating Pain That Won't Go Away, hits so many issues that aren't typically talked about—the cost, insurance problems, how pain affects your mental health, the complexity of pain management, how essential exercise is to maintaining your overall health. This is probably not new to you but sometimes it's comforting to read something that validates everything you're experiencing, feeling and thinking.
TMJA's 6th Scientific Meeting
New NIH Research Grant Request
As you can see, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are responding to the
Chronic Pain Research Alliance, of which The TMJ Association is a member, call for interdisciplinary research to be conducted on a number of associated conditions, including TMJ disorders.
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