NHF news What ' s Happening Now
The Bruxism Connection
On a recent visit to an oral surgeon for a dental extraction, I had an interesting discussion about the condition known as bruxism. The word“ bruxism” is derived from the Greek word“ bruch,” which means“ to grind the teeth.” It is described as a clenching of the teeth, which is associated with forceful or jutting jaw movements. These actions result in rubbing, gritting or grinding together of the teeth, usually during sleep.
While I waited for the local anesthetic to start deadening my nerves, the oral surgeon inquired about my earlier career in headache medicine. I explained that I had done original work with the tricyclic antidepressant amitriptyline for somatic disorders and eventually continued my research with amitriptyline and chronic headaches. To my surprise, the oral surgeon remarked that he and numerous dentists, for many years, had successfully treated bruxism with amitriptyline.
Following the procedure and while recovering at home, I did some research and noted several citations in the scientific literature on the use of amitriptyline in other disorders, including temporomandibular joint dysfunction( TMJ). Amitriptyline and other tricyclic antidepressants have served as a source of relief over the years for many headache and headache-related disorders. The effectiveness of the tricyclic antidepressants may be due to their actions on the serotonin receptors. It is refreshing to know that some old standard therapies are still acknowledged for their efficacy.
— Seymour Diamond, MD Executive Chairman and Founder
Volunteer as a Patient Advocate
Headache disorders are one of the most pervasive neurological issues seen by health care professionals worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, tension-type headaches alone affect about 70 percent of adult males and 80 percent of adult females.
In contrast, the National Headache Foundation( NHF) has just six employees and 13 board members. To bridge this numbers gap and connect with the millions of headache sufferers who are desperate for information about the spectrum of headache disorders, the NHF is calling on community-based volunteerism( or patient advocates).
“ Migraine impacts the community as a whole, whether through lost time as a parent, spouse or friend, or loss of profits from a sick employee,” says Heather Zanitsch, St. Louis patient advocate coordinator for the NHF.“ I would like to see the community work with migraineurs peacefully instead of rolling their eyes every time someone must necessarily‘ complain’ of an attack and go home to rest or wait for their medications to take effect.”
The NHF is looking for more volunteers to help spread the word about headache disorders. This can include helping at patient education events, working with insurance companies or reaching out to headache sufferers with positive support and encouragement.
“ I think it’ s important to build a relationship with the public that is geared toward patients as active participants in their own care and knowledge,” Zanitsch says.“ That’ s what we need— a patient base that stands firm in their knowledge of what they are dealing with.”
If you want to become an NHF patient advocate, contact the NHF at( 888) NHF-5552 or e-mail info @ headaches. org.
4 HEAD WISE | Volume 2, Issue 4 • 2012