Walking on Walls

Writing this article makes me think back to when all the problems started. As a kid, I ran along block walls and easily jumped from the top of one thin pole to another. I took pride in my ability to balance and tested it regularly. I don’t recall ever missing an activity due to a headache or back pain.

But as I got older, my balance started to diminish and I began experiencing severe pain in my back and neck. Through the years, I was sure I was no different from anyone else. I thought it was all part of growing older and justified all of my problems.

Like everyone, I had a few traumatic events in my life and thought maybe these were the cause of my aches and pains. I sought medical help but each time, tests came back negative and I was assured by my medical professionals that everything was fine.

At one point, I vigorously sought a solution to the searing, sharp pain that had become a regular occurrence in my head, a pain that would come on instantly, then disappear. Was it hitting my head while doing a mistaken back flip into a shallow pool in Mexico? Was it the dirt bike accident at 60 mph that resulted in reconstructive shoulder surgery? After each incident and treatment, doctors assured me I was fine. Tests never showed ongoing problems or connections to my headaches, but drugs were available to address the symptoms.

Yet my balance continued to deteriorate and the headaches continued. There were sharp pains that even shot down my left arm, causing me to think I was having a heart attack. But the cardiac tests all showed nothing. I resigned myself to simply living with the pain. I thought I was destined to be one of the grandstand parents, not one of the actively involved and engaging parents I had always dreamed of being.

Then one day a strange thing happened. I was speaking with a group of health professionals and, out of the blue, one of them asked me if I had headaches … did I ever bump into walls walking around corners ... did I drop things out of my left hand … and did I have sharp radiating pain? I stood there in amazement looking at this man who seemed to know all my physical symptoms. (Out of shock and pride, I denied them all, of course!) When I pressed him for how he came to these conclusions, he simply pointed out that my bite was off and that an unaligned jaw can cause these symptoms. He explained that the jaw joint (or TMJ) can compress vital nerves and blood vessels that run behind the joint from your brain to the rest of your body. He compared it to having all the wiring and plumbing in your house run inside a door frame. Each time the door is closed, the wiring is pinched, causing short circuits and damage.

The conversation piqued my curiosity and I began to investigate. It turns out that most people aren’t aware of the number of nerves and blood vessels that run through this joint and the myriad problems that can be caused by compression in this area. It also seems that the jaw joint is one of the least studied joints in medical school. I even spoke with a neurologist who had never studied the joint in school.

I had always thought you were supposed to see an M.D. for headaches and body ailments, but this man who had so accurately evaluated me was a dentist! So after extensive verification of what he shared, I agreed to let him treat me. I was certain that surgery, braces or medications would be required to correct my problems. The diagnostic part of the treatment was quite thorough as they worked to fine-tune the correct position for my jaw through X-rays and computer programs. In the end, my corrective measure was a small, simple oral appliance that aligned my jaw in the proper position. No surgery, no medication, no external hardware. In fact, there was nothing that was invasive or irreversible. I could simply take the appliance out of my mouth if I didn’t want to wear it anymore. But the results were so immediate – my balance improved and my headaches went away as soon as I started wearing the appliance – that I was encouraged to continue its use. I was thrilled to have found the answer.

Not long after receiving my appliance, I had a chance to go Jet Skiing with a friend. Years ago, I had traded dirt bike riding for Jet Skiing because the water doesn’t hurt as much when you fall – and with my poor balance, I fell often. As we were riding along, we came to a big wake. We hit the waves, but I didn’t fall. I didn’t fall all day! I couldn’t believe it. There was no way a piece of plastic in my mouth could do that. Could it?

So here I sit three years later writing this article with no headaches, no shoulder or back pain and no balance problems. I am riding dirt bikes again and coaching and playing with my kids, things I had thought I had to give up years ago due to “just getting older.” These days, I even walk on the top of block walls every chance I get!

Mike Wiegenstein is a patient of Dr. Leonard J. Feld, DDS of the Southwest Medical Center in Palm Desert. Call Dr. Feld at 760-341-CURE.


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Walking on Walls By Mike Wiegenstein Writing this article makes me think back to when all the problems started. As a kid, I ran along block walls and easily jumped from the top of one thin pole to another. I took pride in my ability to balance and tested it regularly. I don’t recall ever missing an activity due to a headache or back pain. But as I got older, my balance started to diminish and I began experiencing severe pain in my back and neck. Through the years, I was sure I was no different from anyone else. I thought it was all part of growing older and justified all of my problems. Like everyone, I had a few traumatic events in my life and thought maybe these were the cause of my aches and pains. I sought medical help but each time, tests came back negative and I was assured by my medical professionals that everything was fine. At one point, I vigorously sought a solution to the searing, sharp pain that had become a regular occurrence in my head, a pain that would come on instantly, then disappear. Was it hitting my head while doing a mistaken back flip into a shallow pool in Mexico? Was it the dirt bike accident at 60 mph that resulted in reconstructive shoulder surgery? After each incident and treatment, doctors assured me I was fine. Tests never showed ongoing problems or connections to my headaches, but drugs were available to address the symptoms. Yet my balance continued to deteriorate and the headaches continued. There were sharp pains that even shot down my left arm, causing me to think I was having a heart attack. But the cardiac tests all showed nothing. I resigned myself to simply living with the pain. I thought I was destined to be one of the grandstand parents, not one of the actively involved and engaging parents I had always dreamed of being. Then one day a strange thing happened. I was speaking with a group of health professionals and, out of the blue, one of them asked me if I had headaches … did I ever bump into walls walking around corners ... did I drop things out of my left hand … and did I have sharp radiating pain? I stood there in amazement looking at this man who seemed to know all my physical symptoms. (Out of shock and pride, I denied them all, of course!) When I pressed him for how he came to these conclusions, he simply pointed out that my bite was off and that an unaligned jaw can cause these symptoms. He explained that the jaw joint (or TMJ) can compress vital nerves and blood vessels that run behind the joint from your brain to the rest of your body. He compared it to having all the wiring and plumbing in your house run inside a door frame. Each time the door is closed, the wiring is pinched, causing short circuits and damage. The conversation piqued my curiosity and I began to investigate. It turns out that most people aren’t aware of the number of nerves and blood vessels that run through this joint and the myriad problems that can be caused by compression in this area. It also seems that the jaw joint is one of the least studied joints in medical school. I even spoke with a neurologist who had never studied the joint in school. I had always thought you were supposed to see an M.D. for headaches and body ailments, but this man who had so accurately evaluated me was a dentist! So after extensive verification of what he shared, I agreed to let him treat me. I was certain that surgery, braces or medications would be required to correct my problems. The diagnostic part of the treatment was quite thorough as they worked to fine-tune the correct position for my jaw through X-rays and computer programs. In the end, my corrective measure was a small, simple oral appliance that aligned my jaw in the proper position. No surgery, no medication, no external hardware. In fact, there was nothing that was invasive or irreversible. I could simply take the appliance out of my mouth if I didn’t want to wear it anymore. But the results were so immediate – my balance improved and my headaches went away as soon as I started wearing the appliance – that I was encouraged to continue its use. I was thrilled to have found the answer. Not long after receiving my appliance, I had a chance to go Jet Skiing with a friend. Years ago, I had traded dirt bike riding for Jet Skiing because the water doesn’t hurt as much when you fall – and with my poor balance, I fell often. As we were riding along, we came to a big wake. We hit the waves, but I didn’t fall. I didn’t fall all day! I couldn’t believe it. There was no way a piece of plastic in my mouth could do that. Could it? So here I sit three years later writing this article with no headaches, no shoulder or back pain and no balance problems. I am riding dirt bikes again and coaching and playing with my kids, things I had thought I had to give up years ago due to “just getting older.” These days, I even walk on the top of block walls every chance I get! Mike Wiegenstein is a patient of Dr. Leonard J. Feld, DDS of the Southwest Medical Center in Palm Desert. Call Dr. Feld at 760-341-CURE.