Doctor, Why Does My Face Still Ache?

Solutions for chronic facial pain by leading specialists in pain management.This groundbreaking book explains why tens of millions of Americans with persistent headaches, toothaches, jaw pain, and other debilitating facial pain can't find relief-even after seeing many doctors in search of a solution. The problem is that most physicians and dentists look for injury or disease to explain the pain but ignore the connection between emotions and muscles-which compose most of the face. While the intimate connection between mind and body has long been studied and applied to treat back, heart, skin, and gastrointestinal system pain, this is the first book to clearly explain how the mind can initiate changes in the body that result in persistent pain in the mouth, ears, jaw, forehead, and other facial areas. Detailed case studies clearly describe the relief from pain that patients finally feel, either through an understanding of the "brain-pain" connection alone or in combination with traditional pain-relieving medications and technologies. This book will not only benefit people who suffer from persistent facial pain, but also physicians and dentists insufficiently trained to recognize and diagnose facial pain problems or unable to explain to patients why stressful life challenges and emotions have fueled their suffering.ENDORSEMENTS:"Drs. Roistacher and Tanenbaum remain leaders in the field of face pain and its management."-James J. Sciubba, DMD, PhD, Professor, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine"Drs. Roistacher and Tanenbaum offer both patients and doctors the perspectives and approaches best suited for helping those with chronic orofacial pain. "-Samuel F. Dworkin, DDS, PhD, Professor Emeritus, Schools of Medicine and Dentistry, University of WashingtonBIOGRAPHY:DONALD R. TANENBAUM maintains a private practice in New York and holds university and hospital appointments. He is a Past President of the American Academy of Orofacial Pain and received a DDS and MPH degree from Columbia University. S. L. ROISTACHER, a founding member of the International Association for the Study of Pain and the American Pain Society, for over 30 years chaired the Department of Dental Medicine, Queens Hospital Center, New York, and the committee on chronic headache pain. He received his DDS degree from New York University.