So many people have difficulty getting good restful sleep at night.  For those that do- this is the most comprehensive list I've seen to problem-solve through every aspect of your sleep.  It's amazing how just a few of these simple strategies can dramatically improve your sleep at night to help you feel completely rejuvenated in the morning again!

Just remember-  sleep plays just as important a role towards your total health as diet and exercise do.


SLEEP + DIET + EXERCISE = HEALTH

NOTE:  This is a fairly large file, so if you have difficulty downloading this- contact me at Jay@hANSPTgroup.com and I will send it via email.  It's a great comprehensive article that will improve your sleep.

For those with TMJ pain, this study certainly demonstrated excellent results for those receiving dry needling for the lateral pterygoid.  

In this study TMJ pain is classified as pain experienced in the ear, jaw or front/side head regions and/or difficulty with opening-closing movements of the mouth.

By needling the lateral pterygoid, (-one of the more challenging muscles to needle due to the anatomical bony structures surrounding it and its depth) this study demonstrated a 75% reduction in pain.  When re-tested again for pain 6 months following the treatment, the pain-relief had continued.  

In addition to the pain relief, the TMJ pain subjects had realized improved jaw motion- including 4.5cm of jaw opening on average according to the study.

These results suggest that dry needling should be considered for those with TMJ pain.  As mentioned earlier, I would highly recommend that if you opt for dry needling to the facial region, seek out an experienced and trained professional in this technique.  I might also point out that as I write this post, I am the only physical therapist certified in orofacial dry needling in Colorado!

Attached below is the full study-