When I was 14 or 15, I started getting really bad headaches. A few weeks after the headaches started, I noticed a clicking feeling in my jaw when I chewed gum. It got to be quite painful, so a trip to the dentist was in order…and he told me that I had TMJ. When your Temporomandibular joints of the jaw don’t work properly, it can cause painful chewing, headaches (even migraines), an aching jaw, and even ear aches! My Temporomandibular joint disorder was very mild though, so once I stopped chewing gum, and did a few gentle stretches for my jaw (recommended by my dentist) I stopped having any pain.

For some though, that’s not enough to solve the problem. TMJ can be treated with the Night Guard, a new mouth guard that will users from grinding their teeth at night. Bruxism is the term for grinding the teeth, and it can also cause TMJ. People who grind their teeth at night sometimes clench their jaw as well, and the use of a night guard will protect your teeth and keep you from experiencing TMJ due to what you’re doing when you sleep.

My sister is at her 3-Day walk in Philadelphia RIGHT NOW. She’s probably trying to fall asleep in her tent as we speak. Err, as I write. It’s actually going to work out well for me that she’s doing the walk a full 2 weeks before I’m doing my walk in Tampa. Since we didn’t camp last year, this will be our first experience doing so. I fully expect for her to fill me in on everything once she returns. I did talk to her today, and she said it was very noisy at camp when she was trying to sleep, and she recommended ear plugs. I bought some today, plus I’m planning on bringing my iPod to use at night to drown out people (talking, snoring, etc.)

It’s amazing what you can do online these days. You can find information on a disease, find a doctor, find a 12 step sponsor, and even buy a life insurance policy. While most life insurance policies require a lot of paperwork and a medical exam, the new eLifePolicy, provided by HSBC Insurance subsidiaries, has an easy three step process that can easily be completed in your home. You won’t need to waste time sitting in an insurance agent’s office, or sitting in a doctor’s offer waiting for a medical exam. Once you complete the online application and you’re approved, you can print out your policy at home as well. With more and more seniors and baby boomers being computer literate, this is a great way for those folks to save time and shopping around.

A lot of sites around the internet are going pink for October for National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. For once, I’m ahead of the game, since this site is already pink, all year long! A lot of sites are also offering special promotions to raise money for breast cancer this month. Yesterday, I received an email from MyPoints about a promotion going on at 1-800Free411. For each new person who calls 1-800Free411 this month, they’ll donate $1 (up to $25,000) to benefit the National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund.

It’s easy to tell your friends about this special offer. Just visit the special pink page at 1-800-Free411 and you’ll find a form to send emails to your friends and family. If you’ve never heard of the site, they really do offer completely FREE directory assistance. You can call from any phone and you won’t pay for getting a listing.

This is a great, FREE way to donate money, so tell your friends and family!