One of the most recommended products we’ve come across for helping TMJ disorder is the Face Caddy. Its inventor, John Lucas, contacted us about two years ago and asked if he could send us some free samples to give away to our members to see if… Read More »An interview with John Lucas, inventor of the Face Caddy.
We’ve put together a list of our favorite TMJ friendly items that we would love to find under the tree on Christmas morning! Things to help TMD patients on the move: Stainless 16 ounce thermos perfect for soup or… Read More »TMJ Hope Christmas Wish List
Absorb Plus is a brand of whey protein powder available in several flavors (vanilla,chocolate, and berry). The difference in this product from other protein powders is that it is very easy on the digestive system. It is made of predigested nutrients, which requires very… Read More »Absorb Plus Protein Powder Review
We often get asked about protein drinks and meal replacements. Orgain was developed by a doctor who was undergoing cancer treatment. He used this product to help stay healthy and maintain his weight during treatment. One of our test panel members tried Orgain and here… Read More »Orgain Meal Replacement Review
One of the questions we are asked quite often is if we know of any products that help TMJ disorder patients. So, we decided to create the patient panel, a panel of TMJ disorder patients who review these products. Here are our first product reviews! And by the way, if you have a suggestion for a product you would like reviewed, please contact us!
FaceCaddy
“My TMJ Disorder has led me to rig up some pretty bizarre contraptions over the years just to find a little pain relief. One of which was using a dish rag to tie an ice pack to my head. Now that I’ve found the Face Caddy, I can lay that one to rest!
I first put it on after a particularly hard day of constant pain at the joint. It felt awkward at first and kept slipping off so I had to play with wearing it at different angles. I finally settled on placing the bottom at the edge of my chin and the velcro part at the top back of my head. This positioning made it feel like it wasn’t budging. It also made it feel like I couldn’t move my jaw at all. I could talk but it was an effort to do so. But when you’re wearing this, you’ll probably just want to relax in peace and quiet anyway!
I tried it sitting up, walking around and lying down. I was able to do all of that without it slipping at all.
The one thing I’d change is get better ice packs. They are rectangle but the pouches they go in are a lot narrower so they didn’t really lay flat (Editor’s note: this problem has been taken care of by FaceCaddy).
Overall, it’s a good product and I will use it often!
To learn more about FaceCaddy, visit their website (use the coupon code “TMJ” for $5 off for TMJ Hope readers).
With over 350,000 applications available on the iTunes App Store, and thousands in the health and medical categories, it can be overwhelming to decide which ones to try. We’ve gone through hundreds and found our favorite applications for chronic pain and TMJ disorder patients.
1. Chronic Pain Tracker
Price: $free or $14.99 Rating: 3.5 Stars Link to app
This comes in a free trial version (Lite) and a more robust version ($14.99). Features:
Record your pain level on a scale of 1-10, along with a description, comments, & medication usage
“Paint” your pain level with colors on a body
See how your pain levels have changed over time
Export the results in PDF, XML, or CSV format to keep records or show your doctors
Create your own description terms for your pain
Build your own list of frequently taken medications
As I have said before, I think it is very important that you learn to notice trends in your health so that you can report changes to your medical team. This app could definitely help you keep track of useful information both for you & your medical team.
Many of you have requested that we publish a list of all the products we gave away and discussed during the 30 Days of Hope campaign. We have set up a couple pages that list these products…we thought it would be easier to go ahead… Read More »TMJ Friendly Heating Pads, Pillows, & Other Products – By Request
Zeo is a tool that helps you track your sleep patterns. It comes with this bedside unit, that includes a clock and an alarm clock, as well as a headband that tracks your sleep. The bedside unit collects information about how you slept, including your total time asleep, the amount of time it takes you to fall asleep, how much time you spent in each sleep phase (light, deep, and REM sleep), and how many times you woke up during the night. That information is displayed on the unit, but you can then upload it to the My Zeo website, and it will give you tips on how to improve your sleep. The neat thing about it is that you can track your life and the things that affect your sleep (drink too much coffee? not getting enough exercise? eating things you shouldn’t at night?), and then make changes and track what’s actually working.
Here’s a sample graph that shows exactly how you’ve slept during the night:
Graph illustrates how you've been sleeping
I’ve been using Zeo for a couple weeks so far and I find the data absolutely fascinating. It has been showing me that while I am not sleeping very many hours (average 5.5), I do get a fair amount of REM and deep sleep. However, I’m also waking up a lot. Is this due to pain? Maybe. Studies have shown that people with chronic pain tend to have what’s called “microarousals,” which are when your sleep changes from deep to light but you don’t really wake up. These changes in sleep don’t usually cause problems for people without pain…. but for people with chronic pain they can be disruptive. I will continue tracking my sleep, and will report back in several weeks with the results. The best thing about Zeo, in my opinion, is that it enables patients like us to measure and evaluate data that can have a direct positive effect on our lives. I’m a firm believer that knowledge is power, and that participating in your own health care is absolutely necessary to thriving with a chronic condition.