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Ever-curious and always probing for the elusive answers, Dr. Richard Klein reminds one a little of Columbo, the inquisitive, trench-coated detective who usually unravels a case by zeroing in on the obscure.

This is how it works in medicine, too, Dr. Klein explains. "The human body is complicated. Many symptoms are common to more than one medical issue, so it sometimes takes a trial-and- error approach before physicians can definitively pinpoint the cause of a problem," he explains. And even when tests turn up negative, it doesn't mean the pain you are feeling isn't real. "It means there is more probing to do," says the tenacious Dr. Klein. When it involves the eyes, ears, neck, jaw, and breath, that's when it's time for his expertise to enter the picture. In Columbo-style, he begins asking his questions…

Could it be TMJ? Hearing loss, congestion, eye pain or watering, a buzzing in the ears, and jaw pain are all symptoms of TMJ. "But the body will fool you by concealing some of its mysteries," Dr. Klein says. "It is also possible to have TMJ and not experience pain or the clicking of the jaw that is so often associated with Temporomandibular Joint Disorder".

TMJ responds well to treatment. Because it is a joint, care frequently resembles the types of treatment that are often prescribed for other ailing joints. The first goal is to relieve the pressure, then identify and modify the lifestyle activities that aggravate it. Depending on the degree of damage that has been done to the body, TMJ may be treated using physical therapy; more severe cases might require injections and pharmaceuticals.

It was his own excruciating pain after an auto accident that led Dr. Klein to conduct his pain research around the world in hopes of finding solu- tions that would lessen his own aching sensations. For his efforts and his involvement on the national level of the American Academy of Craniofacial Pain, he is now considered a leading expert in the areas of TMJ and sleep apnea. He was astounded to learn how frequently TMJ and sleep apnea lie at the core of so many other pain problems. Once TMJ and sleep apnea are controlled, pain in other areas of the body has a better chance of lessening.

Persons with sleep apnea have multiple sleep issues; in fact, they often have two to three times the number of sleep problems of the general population.
Many people who are afflicted don't know it, yet their sleeping partners are usually aware there's a problem. Sleep apnea is characterized by intense snoring, long pauses between breaths, gasping for air, sudden awakenings (which might occur hundreds of times a night), and a distinctive snort. Snoring in and of itself isn't dangerous, but sleep apnea is. Because it is impeding air to the brain and heart, it can cause death; in less severe cases it contributes to memory problems, depression, and headaches – "Not to mention irritability," adds Dr. Klein, who once considered himself among the irritable. (Today you will find Dr. Klein upbeat and happily engaged with his patients. "He is one of the most compassionate doctors you will ever meet," says one patient, "because he knows what it feels like to be miserable – and then to feel better.")

Some people find a breathing mask suitable for controlling their sleep apnea, but others find it uncomfortable to wear all night long. Dr. Klein creates a special mouthpiece for these patients to utilize at night. It realigns the jaw, secures the tongue, and keeps the throat expanded so breathing isn't interrupted. It is more discreet than a mask, and it travels easier. Many health insurance companies cover the costs.

"If you don't look for TMJ or sleep apnea, you don't find it," the detective in Dr. Klein acknowledges. "None of my patients had these issues until I started looking for them."

Richard Klein has treated more than 10,000 patients at the Michigan Head & Neck Institute. Most come from physician referrals, although some people refer themselves.