A large percentage of people all across the world have difficulty sleeping. Considering that sleep is so important, this lack of sleep can affect many areas of your life. It is usually best to first diagnose the cause of poor quality sleep and then, work on treating the issue. One of the most common causes of difficult sleep is that of chronic facial pain. Chronic facial pain encompasses a lot of different medical conditions.
Dental problems
Dental problems are often not diagnosed or treated by regular medical professionals. You may be experiencing facial pain and have trouble with getting an accurate diagnosis, because of this. It is not usually until you have visited a dentist that you are able to find chronic facial pain treatment. If dental problems are the cause of your chronic facial pain, work with a professional dentist on correcting the problem to increase your ability to sleep.
Chronic migraines
Some people are surprised to learn of the many areas of the body that a migraine can affect. When you have a migraine, you may not even know or be able to pinpoint exactly where the pain is coming from. Chronic facial pain treatment for migraines usually involves a series of medical diagnostic tests and medications. Your physician may also refer you to a brain specialist for additional testing, as well as a sleep specialist. Lack of sleep quality can actually contribute to the amount of migraines that you experience.
Jaw problems
The trouble with correctly diagnosing jaw problems is that they can be a medical problem or a dental problem. Chronic jaw pain treatment may come from either medical professional. The levels of treatment for jaw pain leading to insomnia also differ. Minor treatments may include physical therapy and sleeping tools and more advanced of treatment might include surgical procedures to reshape the way that the jaw lays.
Insomnia
There will also be a large group of people who are not struggling with sleep due to a medical conditions or any type of pain. Chronic facial pain treatment may not always be needed to increase the overall quality of sleep. In fact, approximately 10 million people in the U.S. use prescription sleep aids. If you have trouble shutting off your brain at night, you should speak with your physician on the possibility of a sleep prescription.
Sleep apnea
Sleep apnea may be caused by a variety of other medical conditions, but ultimately, can cause a poor quality level of sleep. The problem with sleep apnea is that it does not just reduce sleep quality, but it also reduces the level of oxygen that a person receives during sleep. According to the National Commission on Sleep Disorders Research, approximately 38,000 deaths occur on an annual basis that relate to cardiovascular problems that in one way or another are connected to sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea treatments are often very different than chronic facial pain treatments. While chronic facial pain treatment usually consists of medical evaluation and assistance, the treatment for sleep apnea usually involves the use of CPAP treatment. CPAP treatment uses a CPAP machine that monitors the sleeper?s oxygen levels and provides oxygen when it is too low. Not only does this allow the person to sleep longer and deeper, but it also prevents them from developing more serious of medical conditions based on the sleep apnea.
Poor sleep quality drastically affects our lives. Sleep is a necessary part of good health. Yet, many people struggle with sleep. Some people have chronic pain conditions, like chronic facial pain. More than 15% of American adults suffer from chronic facial pain, such as jaw pain, headaches, or earaches. Others struggle with body aches and dental problems. Another group of people, perhaps more at risk of the negative effects of poor sleep quality are those suffering from sleep apnea. It is important to first find the cause of poor sleep to ensure that you are taking the necessary steps to increase your quality of sleep.
