When you’re suffering from chronic head or jaw pain, it’s critical to find a doctor that has experience diagnosing and treating these conditions. You should take the time to look for doctors that focus on temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder (TMD), chronic headaches, and similar disorders.
In this post, New Jersey TMJ specialist Dr. Ivan Stein discusses how to find the best doctor to treat your chronic head or jaw pain.
Ask For Recommendations
If you know anyone who has suffered from TMD or chronic migraines, ask them if there are any doctors they would recommend. Personal recommendations can offer you insights about a doctor’s communication skills, such as:
- How attentive the doctor was when listening to the patient’s symptoms
- Whether the doctor explained the diagnosis and treatment plan thoroughly and in easy-to-understand terms
- The doctor’s openness to answering follow-up questions
Be aware that your friend’s disorder and treatment may be different than yours, so you also need a doctor that offers customized solutions.
If you don’t know of anyone with a medical issue similar to yours, you can look for testimonials from a doctor’s patients to see what they have to say.
Major Practice Areas
Some doctors cover many different areas or specialties, while others focus more narrowly on a specific patient population. A doctor that spends most of his or her time dealing with TMJ disorders should have a more nuanced understanding of these conditions and how patients respond to various types of treatment.
If your potential doctor has decades of experience and is recognized as an industry leader, that’s also a sign that they stay up to date on the latest medical and technological advancements.
Request a Consultation
Once you’ve narrowed down your list of doctors, call their offices and schedule consultations. Some doctors offer free consultations, so be sure to ask when you make your appointment.
There’s no substitute for sitting face-to-face with someone and seeing how you feel about them. If you aren’t comfortable or feel unsatisfied for some reason, don’t hesitate to meet with a different doctor and see if you prefer their approach.
Schedule a free consultation with Dr. Stein to discuss your chronic head or jaw pain. Call (855) TMJ-DOCS or (855) 865-3627 today.