Doctor, Why Does My Face Still Ache?

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.