Question: In addition to TMJ I also have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia and suffer from chronic headaches and sleep disorders. Are these related?
Answer: Scientists have found that 85% of patients with TMJ also experience painful conditions in other parts of the body. These comorbid conditions include chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic headache, endometriosis, fibromyalgia, interstitial cystitis, irritable bowel syndrome, low back pain, sleep disorders, and vulvodynia. They are considered comorbid because they occur together more often than chance can explain. In addition, the conditions share other features. These findings are stimulating research into common mechanisms underlying all of these comorbid conditions.