Tag: insurance

My Practice, TMJ Relief

Policies

Welcome.

I’m here to do my best for you. In this line of work, we are always seeking more health. You are too, or you wouldn’t be here. I look forward to working together.

Please read through my policies. I’m happy to answer any questions you have.

Appointments

Bodywork sessions are by appointment only. You may schedule your own appointment online. You may also contact me first (preferably scheduling a free phone consultation) if you have any questions.

Please try to arrive 5 minutes early to decompress before your session. If possible, allow yourself some down-time after your session to integrate.

Your appointment time is reserved exclusively for you. I send a reminder email and text 48 hours in advance of your start time.

If you need to reschedule, please be kind and do so as soon as possible. You may reschedule online or by emailing, texting, or leaving a voicemail for me.

If you miss an appointment with less than 24 hours of notice, you will be responsible for full payment for the session.

Rates

Initial appointments and 90 minute sessions: $165.

Follow-up appointments/60 minute sessions: $135.

Multi-session packages and subscriptions are discounted by 10 percent.

Payment

When you schedule yourself online, you prepay with a credit card.

If you prefer to pay with cash, check made out to MaryAnn Reynolds, or a cash app, I will need to schedule your session for you.

Special instructions for American Express cards: enter the card number minus the last digit. Then enter the four-digit CVV code. Then enter the last digit of the credit card number. If this doesn’t work, try another type of card or ask me to send you a payment request in PayPal or Venmo.

I accept Health Care Savings Account and Flexible Spending Account cards.

Tips are not accepted. I do appreciate feedback (both positive and about how I can improve), and spreading the word to others in person or in writing about a good experience is deeply appreciated.

I do not work with insurance companies, but if you request a receipt, I can provide one after your session(s) that you can submit to your insurance company or HCSA/FSA plan for reimbursement.

Packages

Multi-session packages are discounted by 10 to 20 percent.

Packages never expire, and they are non-refundable. If you buy a package and cannot use all the sessions, you may request a gift certificate for the balance. 

If you would like to request a package or gift certificate not listed on my Scheduling link, please contact MaryAnn at 512-507-4184.

Mask policy

When Austin/Travis County is in Stage 4 or 5, masks are required at all times throughout the office suite and in my private office, regardless of vaccination status.

The only exception is during the intraoral portion of TMJ Relief sessions, when you will need to unmask. I will give you some antiseptic solution (Listerine or a 1% peroxide solution or salt water) to rinse your mouth with before proceeding.

In Stage 3 or below, you may be unmasked if you feel safe doing so, and I will ask you if you are comfortable with me unmasking. (I’m vaxxed and boosted.)

I run a Winix air filter at all times when I am working. It more than meets the highest CDC and WHO recommendations.

If you have a sore throat, fever, or other symptoms of illness, please reschedule your session.

Uncategorized

Treating TMJ Issues: some medications cause jaw clenching

I’ve learned that some widely used pharmaceutical medications can cause jaw clenching and grinding as side effects.

The best known are in a class called SSRIs, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, commonly prescribed for depression and/or anxiety.

I’m sure you’ve heard of Prozac (generic name fluoxetine). Here are some other SSRIs that can cause bruxism:

  • Zoloft (sertraline)
  • Celexa (citalopram)
  • Lexapro (escitalopram)
  • Paxil and Pexeva (paroxetine and paroxetine CR)
  • Viibryd (vilazodone)
  • Luvox (fluvoxamine and fluvoxamine CR)

Do not stop taking them without a doctor’s supervision, as you may have withdrawal symptoms, possibly dangerous.

In general, if you take any of these medications and you are clenching or grinding your teeth, talk to your doctor about alternatives: psychotropics, dopamine agonists, antihistaminergics, and psychostimulants, as well as other measures to relieve anxiety and depression.

I recently learned that there’s an alternative to pharmaceuticals for treating depression and other mental disorders. It’s called TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) and it works with your brain waves (rather than the chemical approach using particles).

It’s been approved by the FDA to treat depression and migraines, and it’s also being used to treat anxiety, OCD, PTSD, autism syndrome, traumatic brain injuries, ADHD, and more.

You can do a search to find out if it’s available near you.

One more bit of info: I had a new TMJ Relief patient who was taking an SSRI. I treated her and gave her the info above.

Unlike others I’ve treated, she didn’t notice a difference in how her TMJs felt and moved at the end of her first session.

However, she emailed me the next day to tell me that for the first time in a while, she woke up without severe jaw pain and headache.

So even if you are taking one of these SSRIs and have jaw pain, one of my TMJ Relief sessions (or even better, several sessions judiciously scheduled to prevent relapse) can help, and meanwhile you can be investigating alternatives.

What to do if you have jaw issues? I offer a 30-minute in-person TMJ consultation to gather information and evaluate your issues. I also teach clenchers an alternative to clenching and provide known ways to stop grinding, from those who succeeded.

These habits are major contributors to TMJ issues, and you can change them.

If you’re not in Austin, I can do the above as well as help you learn what to ask about when seeking TMJ relief near you. Just let me know if you need a phone or Zoom consultation.

I offer a combination TMJ Consultation plus TMJ Relief session in person in Austin, Texas. The consultation serves as an intake, so I have a better idea of what your issues are and how we’ll measure progress. Your consultation is free when combined with your first TMJ Relief session. This is a two-hour session.

To be fair, when you’ve had TMJ issues for a long time, or they are acute, you may need multiple sessions to retrain your system to retain the ease and alignment, along with doing your homework to stop clenching or grinding your teeth.

I offer a package of four TMJ Relief sessions for 10 percent off single sessions, best done a week or two apart. These sessions are 90 minutes and integrate various bodywork modalities — including work in your mouth — so that you feel great when you get off the table. They are best done over 4 to 6 weeks.

If you’re really adventurous, you can schedule a 75-minute Self-Treatment for TMJ Issues session on Zoom where we’ll do an intake and I will teach you how to work on releasing the tension patterns that cause problems, including working in your own mouth. You’ll need clean hands and short nails. It’s really not that hard! Learn more about it here.