On behalf of the Jaw Joints & Allied Musculo-Skeletal Disorders Foundation [JJAMD], Milton & Renée wish you all a Healthy New Year in 2012.
We are often asked why we wish "health" above all other social greetings... especially the most-oft-used greeting "happy." As all Temporo-Mandibular Joint Disorder [TMJD] Patients know only too well, "Good Health" supersedes all else in our lives.
"A Healthy New Year", therefore, is the most profound wish we can give all, as we continue to work hard to unlock the TMJ/TMJD Dilemma and to bring an opportunity for better health and a better quality of life for all.
We wish we could say that "the TMJ/TMJD Dilemma" is lessening. Unfortunately, we cannot. This reality has made us even more determined to remain independent, in order to accomplish our original mission begun in 1982 as America's Pioneer Advocates in this heath issue. We inherited the then touted ideology that TMJ was mostly a Female Psychosocial-Nighttime-Stress-Teeth-Grinding Cause.
With full cooperation in collaboration with Senator Edward M. Kennedy, National Institutes of Medical and Dental Heath, and other Governmental Agencies, we were successful in changing this etiology. We helped wed the Dental Profession with the Medical Profession. Again, Senator Kennedy and his Senate Health and Labor Committee, wrote and impressed the NIH Medical-side to take further interest. This evolved into the "NIH TMJD InterAgency Committee", on which we and other Advocates and Professionals were members. Now this Helpful Prestigious Committee has diminished.
However, as time and interest and energy progressed, unfortunately from JJAMD's mission and perspective, it has taken on yet a Newer Etiology, Interest, and Energy.
The focus for TMJ/TMJD has now become more specifically directed as a "PAIN", CHRONIC PAIN, CO-MORBID PAIN health problem thereby reducing the potential to b ring JJAMD'S mission for appropriate widespread comprehensive Medical and Dental "Awareness and Prevention" efforts that we have been working so hard for so many years, beginning in 1982 as America's Pioneer Advocacy Organization. However, for example, the emergence of such Co-Morbid organizations has produced a collaboration of some Allied Organizations who have recently formed: "END CHRONIC PAIN IN WOMEN. ORG". While it inherently produces more strength in numbers to bring attention, nevertheless, it inherently further distances JJAMD Foundation to join forces with them, because of our refusal to concentrate on the PAIN FACET OF THIS MULTIFACETED HEALTH ISSUE. It further obfuscates and subordinates the IMPORTANCE OF HEATHY JAW JOINTS, and the POTENTIAL TO PREVENT DISORDERS AND DISEASES TO THEM. It further removes the focus on TMJ/TMJD as a medical health issue, and buries the JAW JOINTS and the TMJD Disorder under the pile of PAIN problems, sometimes far removed from a Joint-anatomy problem, further setting back the opportunity for broad overarching comprehensive valid TMJD Medical-Dental research and the awareness efforts that JJAMD Foundation has fostered since 1982.
Because of these forces that have more recently emerged, it has forced us to retreat from joining forces in the environment and focus on PAIN and PAIN MANAGEMENT of Other's touted etiologies. JJAMD has, therefore, been less visible, but it is important Ð indeed URGENT Ð that we remain TRUE TO OUR ORIGINAL MISSION AS AMERICA'S PIONEER TMJ/TMJD ADVOCATES. This current touted ETIOLOGY AND FOCUS ON PAIN, CHRONIC PAIN, CO-MORBID PAIN, AND END CHRONIC PAIN IN WOMEN will probably shift again, and NEW ADVOCATES AND RESEARCHERS will then add MORE OVERARCHING HELPFUL RESEARCHERS to ADDRESS ALL HUMAN BEINGS, INCLUDING MEN AND CHILDREN. JJAMD'S independent research fellowship had this as its noble goal, and, of course, we encourage researchers to consider such research in collaboration with JJAMD FOUNDATION, or within their own institutions and laboratories.
Please go to our Facebook page for a further information on JJAMD's current observations. We welcome your input, observations, recommendations, or dialogue.
ON A VERY PERSONAL NOTE: Milton and Renée have suffered severe traumatic issues, which has affected our health and which has forced us to slow down a bit. But our hearts are still in the needed fight to stay independent and to live up to our reputations as: "Telling-It-Like-It-Is." We Thank all of You who have believe in our integrity and sincerity of purpose to be True to Our Pioneering Advocacy Mission and Work to help the Human Condition.
Our Best Regards to You for a Healthier Life in 2012 and Beyond.
Milton and Renée
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"Life
revolves around the Jaw Joints in every motor and sensory activity, awake
or asleep, 24 hours a day."
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JJAMD promotes "Jaw Joints - TMJ Awareness©" throughout the year. In addition, we celebrate each month of November as "Jaw Joints - TMJ Awareness Month©" as introduced in 1997 by Congressman Barney Frank in the Congress of the United States.
Trademarks"JAW JOINTS-TMJ AWARENESS" and "JAW JOINTS - TMJ AWARENESS MONTH" are registered service marks of the Jaw Joints & Allied Musculo-Skeletal Disorders Foundation, Inc. ("JJAMD") (collectively, the "JJAMD Trademarks"). Other company, product, and service names and logos used and displayed on this Site may be trademarks or service marks of their respective owners who may or may not endorse or be affiliated with or connected to JJAMD. JJAMD is not affiliated with The TMJ Association, Ltd. ("TMJA").
Nothing on this Site should be construed as granting, by implication, estoppel, or otherwise, any license or right to use any of the JJAMD Trademarks displayed on this Site, without our prior written permission in each instance. All goodwill generated from the use of JJAMD Trademarks will inure to our benefit.
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Contact Milton and Renée Glass, Co-Founders
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