Do you suffer from headaches or earaches? Do you have a stiff neck and upper back? What about on-going stomach issues, anxiety or depression? Dissimilar as all these issues might sound, the root cause may be your temporomandibular joint, or TMJ. Known as “the hidden imposter” for the way it mimics other syndromes, TMJ disorder is not only very common, it’s also often misdiagnosed. The TMJ is the hinge where the jawbone connects to the skull. Factors that can cause TMJ issues include misalignment of the jaw or teeth; physical trauma, such as whiplash or dental work; degenerative diseases; or, most commonly, tension resulting in teeth clenching or grinding. While actual joint pain may or may not occur, typically symptoms manifest elsewhere in the body and include migraines, earaches or tinnitus (ringing in the ears), hip and pelvic pain and muscle soreness in the upper body. Because of these diverse symptoms, correct diagnosis is often overlooked while treatment doesn’t deal with the underlying problem.

Dr. Brigitte Tetrault, Courtenay Healing Centre, CourtenayHealing.ca

Q: I’ve suffered from allergies this spring that really made my eyes water and itch, as well as my nose and sinuses. Everything seems better now except for my eyes, they still feel sandy. What’s going on?

A: This is very common. While you may have had some temporary springtime ocular allergies, your condition evolved into some persistent irritation. It’d be a good idea to treat your eyelids with a warm compress for a few minutes every night to clear out the glands which are necessary to lubricate your eyes. Rubbing your eyes from allergies can introduce even more bacteria to the area. A hot moist washcloth is good to use, but a heating pad or mask can hold the heat longer. Oftentimes, extra lubrication from eye drops is helpful. Relief is usually slow-going. It can take several weeks (or even months) before the eyes start to feel normal, so diligence is key.

Dr. Alex Kennedy, MosaicVisionCare.com

Sugar (sucrose) and high fructose corn syrup contain two molecules: glucose and fructose. Glucose is absolutely vital to life and is an integral part of our metabolism. Fructose, however, is very different. This molecule is not a natural part of metabolism and humans do not produce it. In fact, very few cells in the body can make use of it except liver cells. There it gets turned into fat, which is then secreted into the blood. When people eat a diet that is high in fructose, the liver gets overloaded and starts turning the fructose into fat. This leads to increased food intake and decreased fat burning. Sugar sets up an extremely powerful biochemical drive to make you eat more, burn less, and gain fat. Managing your fructose intake is important, as trying to exert willpower over this powerful drive can be next to impossible.

Alma Naranjo, Success Weight Loss, SuccessWeightLoss.ca

Does your child complain of achiness in both legs at night? Pain in the upper or lower legs or behind the knees can occur during periods of rapid growth in kids, usually between the ages of 3-5 or 8-12. Recent studies have found a high incidence of these ‘growing pains’ in children with flat feet. As your child’s body weight increases with the rapid growth, their foot arches may not be strong enough to maintain that extra weight. The arches may flatten under the strain. If this happens the muscles of the calves and legs have to work harder. Correcting the arches with either off-the-shelf or custom foot orthotics can help ease some of the muscle soreness. When combined with warm massage, increased fluid intake, stretching, and ensuring that stable, supportive footwear is worn throughout the day, you can greatly ease your child’s discomfort.

Diane Calder BScKIN, Pedorthist, MitchellPandO.com

There is an exciting new business in the Comox Valley! Scavenger Hunt Adventure Tours is all about solving clues, searching for hidden items, exploring under-appreciated places, as well as getting people outdoors for fun and healthy recreation. Activities range from single day themed scavenger hunts to private parties, corporate events and multi-day getaways. Mother and son team, Jackie West and Tyler Meggitt combine their talents and draw upon their respective career and life experiences to deliver a diverse selection of staged and themed adventure tours that put a new spin on the well-known Scavenger Hunt. Jackie looks forward to working alongside her youngest son Tyler as they get creative together to deliver some fresh fun and games to locals and visitors alike. From day tours promoting awareness of local businesses and landmarks to week long road trips, there is plenty of fun and adventure in store for you.

Jackie West, scavenger-hunt-adventure-tours.ca

Spring is here, and as nature’s colours begin to reveal themselves once again, many people are cleaning up their homes as well as their body’s lymphatic systems. Lemon essential oil is inexpensive, and it’s a great natural alternative for cleansing and energizing yourself and your house. Lemon essential oil is superb for helping throw off any lingering coughs or colds. It can also be used to cleanse the skin and remove grease after automotive or household repairs. If you’re looking for a safe and effective way to remove sticky price tag residue…try a drop of Lemon essential oil. And you can forget those nasty aerosol cans and plug-in “air fresheners”…just add some Lemon essential oil to a spray bottle and mist the air throughout your home. The essential oil molecules will stay airborne for several hours and give your living space a clean, fresh scent that naturally uplifts your mood!

Nelson Meggitt, OptimumWellnessFactor.ca

The same intelligence that grew you in embryo is still present within your body, with an innate drive towards health. It expresses as rhythmic motions in the fibres, fluids, and energy fields of your living anatomy. How can you tap into this? A Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapist (RCST®) gently holding your fully clothed body can help you tune in! This facilitates a natural slowing down. In response, tissues rehydrate and soften, fibres lengthen, and pulls dissipate to allow spontaneous realignment. This letting go of old holding patterns, and natural dropping into deeper states of relaxation, brings a sense of expansion: in breath, mind, and the physical body – while the nervous system totally slows down. Organs, glands, vascular, lymphatic, digestive, and other systems function more optimally, supporting essential flow of biochemical and neurological information. In this state, your health is expressing more fully, and most symptoms, including chronic pain, can dramatically lessen – and eventually dissipate.

Christina Nienaber-Roberts, MSc, NHPC, RCST®, CYT, CourtenayMassageTherapy.com