This is a reprint of recently published press relief on Relief of Chronic TMJ, Headache and Migraine.
Reprint
Chicago Pain Relief! Patients with TMJ Disorders, Headaches and Migraines are Finding A Better Quality of Life! SPG Blocks Can Give Patients Control of Pain
“Find Relief of Severe and Chronic Pain. Dr Shapira has been improving Quality of Life for patients for over 35 years and he utilizes the amazing SPG Block featured in the book “MIRACLES ON PARK AVENUE”.”
CHICAGO, IL, December 26, 2016 /24-7PressRelease/ — There is a very special medical office nested on the border of Highland Park and Lake Forest dedicated to improving the quality of life in patients afflicted with chronic head and neck pain, migraines and TMJ disorders. Even more important is that many problems cn be prevented by early intervention including TMJ, sleep Apnea, Snoring, and ADHD.
There is a youtube channel with over 100 patient testimonials of patients with pain and sleep disorders of patients treated by Dr Shapira. Some of these patients were totally disabled from severe pain, another was told her case was hopeless by Mayo Clinic and yet another had 9 years of Fibromyalgia pain melt away. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk9Bfz6pklC7_UluWFHzLrg
Dr Shapira has had an unusual career for a dentist. He did research as a Visiting Assistant Professor at Rush Medical from 1985 until 1991. This occurred because he sought help for his son who was held back from kindergarten and diagnosed as ADHD and recommended to be a Ritalin for Life. His parents rejected this treatment and he was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea, had tonsils and adenoids removes, orthodontic airway expansion and frenectomies.
The result was Billy became an “A” student and graduated college Magna Cum Laude, drug of choice was Oxygen not Ritalin. Research now shows that 80-95 % of patients with ADD and ADHD have sleep disordered breathing and these disorders can be prevented with early treatment.
While at Rush Dr Shapira’s research showed many similarities in jaw function and alignment TMJ patients and Sleep patients. In 2001 the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute of the NIH released a report “CARDIOVASCULAR AND SLEEP-RELATED CONSEQUENCES OF TEMPOROMANDIBULAR DISORDERS” verifying what Dr Shapira had found.
Dr Shapira has given multiple lectures on “COMMON DEVELOPMENTAL PATHWAYS OF TMJ, SLEEP APNEA, HEADACHES, MIGRAINES, ADD AND ADHD” He also lectured extensively in the 1980’s on Anti-Aging Medicine and Dentistry and one lecture bacame a chapter in a medical textbook on Anti-Aging medicine.
While maintaining a general dental practice in Gurnee, Dr Shapira was a founding member of the Sleep Disorder Dental Society which became the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine. He also practiced at the Pain Relief Clinic in Racine , Wisconsin treating chronic pain and sleep disorders.
Himself, a victim of headaches and a TMJ disorder Dr Shapira became a perpetual student in the subject. He learned Physiologic Dentistry from Barney Jankelson , the Father of Physiologic Dentistry. He studied Myofascial Pain and Fibromyalgia treatment with Janet Travell who wrote the book, “Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction” and was President Kennedy’s physician.
In 1986 a patient brought Dr Shapira the book “MIRACLES ON PARK AVENUE” and asked him to help him find a doctor that did the Sphenopalatine Ganglion Blocks described in the book. There were no providers of this treatment and Dr Shapira learned the procedure and began to use it extensively as well as to teach patients how to self administer SPG Blocks to relieve severe pain and anxiety. There are numerous videos available on the Think Better Life youtube channel.
Dr Shapira has recently giv an course in Scottsdale and has courses in providing SPG Blocks scheduled in March 2017 in Buenos Aires and in Seattle in August 2017.
An accidental experiment was done in the field of chronic pain but it was not published but the story is very revealing about how healthcare could be vastly improved.
THE GREAT EXPERIMENT: Chicago Pain Relief and Chicago HMO
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF INSURANCE COMPANIES ACTUALLY COVERED TMJ DISORDERS LIKE OTHER MEDICAL CONDITIONS.
(reprinted from Dr Shapira’s IHateHeadaches.org blog http://chicago-headaches.blogspot.com/
REPRINT:
In the 1980’s until 1993 I worked closely with Dr Mitchell Trubitt the Medical Director of Chicago HMO. What started as a fight for insurance coverage for a single patient moved on to a test with six patients to see if Physiologic Dentistry could lead to cost savings for insurance companines. The initial test was six patients who were treated with physiologic orthotics for their TMJ and Headache problems. All six patients had two surgical opinions stating TMJoint surgery was needed. All six patients were treated without surgery. The patients all reported being very happy with results that included relief of headaches and migraines.
The results were that we demonstrated estimated massive savings $250,000 on just those six patients. Because of the positive results of that test Chicago HMO began to cove 100% of the cost of Phase one Physiologic TMJ treatment . These savings reflected hospitalization and surgery costs, surgical fees, anesthesia and physical therapy. Chicago HMO did not cover phase two treatment so all patients were fitted with appliances made on vitallium frameworks to prevent breakage. Patients desiring orthodontics or crowns were not reimbursed by medical insurance.
Chicago HMO did not decide to cover TMJ, disorders, in fact contract language specifically stated non-surgical treatment of TMJ problems were not covered. In spite of that language Dr Trubitt authorized coverage due to cost savings. Chicago HMO physicians who referred patients for non-surgical treatment actually were charged less for out of network referrals. TMJ was given the same percentage cost for referring physicians as Cancer and Heart Disease.
Patients not only experienced improvements in TMJ disorders but also reduction and elimination of headaches and migraines. TMJ has been called “The Great Imposter” because so many diverse Symptoms are associated with it. At the time Chicago HMO had no means of tracking drug savings nor did they consider costs of other related disorders.
When insurance coverage and out of pocket costs were taken out of the picture with a guarantee payment we were no longer in a pay per procedure mode but a global fee. Trigger point injections, SPG Blocks and other procedures were used without additional costs leading to rapid patient improvement.
While there were no patient complaints during the program there were several complaints from oral surgeons objecting to a general dentist seeing patients for non-surgical treatment on patients they deemed surgery necessary.
In 1993 United Health Care bought out Chicago HMO (parent HMO America) and the program ended abruptly even though it had demonstrated significant savings over several years.
I met with the new medical director along with Dr Trubitt in an attempt to keep this very successful treatment and cost containment program going but was told that since United Health Care didn’t pay for surgery they would save money treating TMJ non-surgically.
NEW INFORMATION EXPLAINED WHY THIS EXPERIMENT WAS SO SUCCESSFUL:
Four years after this experience The Shimshak article was published that showed that patients carrying a TMJD diagnosis had a 200% increase in total medical expenses. Shimshak stated “The majority of these differences were attributed to conditions that were not usually considered related to TMJ disorders. These utilization and cost differences extended, in varying degrees, over a wide range of diagnostic and healthcare provider categories.” (Pubmed abstract below)
One year later a follow-up study showed that the increased costs were actually 300% over patients not carrying TMJ diagnosis. Shimshak stated “For some of the major diagnostic categories, such as nervous, respiratory, circulatory, and digestive, the inpatient and outpatient claims differences in utilization and costs were as large as 3 to 1. For only one diagnostic category, pregnancy and childbirth, were utilization and costs greater for non-TMJ subjects than TMJ patients. The psychiatric claims for TMJ patients exhibited differences that were at least twice as large as those for the non-TMJ subjects.” (pubmed abstract below)
Dr Shimshak was forced to destroy his original research by Blue Cross of Pennsylvania according to a source at Cranio: The Journal of CranioMandibular and Sleep Practice.
“One thing you can’t hide – is when you’re crippled inside.” John Lennon
Relief of Chronic Pain Restores your soul and heals those crippled inside by the power of pain.
Dr Shapira wrote the Guest Editorial for Cranio in 2013 when Cranio added Sleep to its name.
Dr Shapira is President and co-owner oF Delany Dental Care in Gurnee, Il with his partner Dr Mark Amidei.
www.DelanyDentalCare.com
He is the Dental Editor of Sleep and Health Journal and a new submission reviewer for Cranio Journal (Journal of CranioMandibular and Sleep Practice)
Dr Shapira office SERVING CHICAGO AND THE NORTH SHORE is located at 3500 Western Ave Suite 101 in Highland Park. It is conveniently across from Fort Sheridan Metra Station.
www.ThinkBetterLife.com
Illinois Law mandates TMJ Treatment Coverage.
