Colette’s Story
Before
For years, Colette suffered with a vertigo that was extremely disturbing. Turning her head triggered the vertigo that proved to be a problem nearly all the time. “While driving, if I was sitting at a stop light, I’d look left and right before proceeding and that would make me dizzy,” said Colette.
The problem was familiar to Colette. She had watched her mother suffer with similar vertigo for 30 years. But Colette was determined to find a solution. “I tried doctors and physical therapy,” said Colette, “but the therapist had me turning my head so that it triggered the vertigo, so I had to stop. It wasn’t helping.”
One day, Colette was looking online and found Dr. Amy Norman. Although it didn’t sound like a dentist could help her at first, Colette read that vertigo was a possible symptom of TMJ disorder. And, Dr. Norman had experience helping patients with TMJ for more than 25 years. She decided to give Dr. Norman a call.
During
“Dr. Norman’s team made me feel very comfortable,” said Colette. “They make sure you are comfortable and feel safe. It’s a very good experience. Everything is positive.” In this environment, Colette learned about how issues in her jaw joint, her jaw joint, were causing other symptoms including her vertigo.
Dr. Norman performed an evaluation that lead to a treatment plan. “I got some root canals and she build up my back molars to adjust my bite,” Colette said. Soon after, Colette saw an end to her vertigo symptoms.
A few years later, Colette returned to Dr. Norman because of a ringing in her ears. Dr. Norman determined that Colette was grinding her teeth involuntarily, a condition known as bruxism.
“Dr. Norman fit me with an oral appliance that I use all the time, 24/7, unless I am eating,” Colette said. “It‘s part of me. It goes where I go. And, I almost never have that ringing in my ears.
After
“You don’t even think your dentist can help you with such problems,” Colette said, “but they can. You think to go to a doctor instead but Dr. Norman had the answers for me.”
Colette was proactive in finding the right care to treat her TMJ and bruxism. Her advice to anyone suffering from similar conditions who are not finding relief with doctors is to find help like she did: keeping an open mind that a dentist with the right training can do much more than family dentistry.
“I would recommend going to Dr. Norman as soon as possible because it really does change your life for the better,” Collette said.
