Improving Sleep: Part 2 By Susan E. Sklar, M.D. (Note: this is the final article of a two-part series; Improving Sleep: Part 1 explores some questions about sleep and its benefits.) Improving our sleep may be the most important change in lifestyle a person can make to ensure physical and mental health. As a functional medicine doctor, Dr. Sklar understands the foundational importance of sleep to energy as well as overall health. One of the biggest causes of fatigue is sleep problems. Today’s modern society is fast paced, complicated, and anxiety producing. Sleep is sacrificed on the altar o ..read more

Improving Sleep (Part 1): Why we Sleep and the Benefits of Improving our Sleep By Susan E. Sklar, M.D. Why do we sleep and what are the benefits of improving our sleep? According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, “About 30 percent of adults have symptoms of insomnia and about 10 percent of adults have insomnia that is severe enough to cause daytime consequences.”[1] So, poor sleep is common. Moreover, improving sleep is especially important in leading a healthful and happy life. Although this is conventional medical knowledge, Dr. Sklar has an alternative medicine approach to ..read more

Eating for Energy: Getting Off of the Blood Sugar Rollercoaster By Susan E. Sklar, M.D. As a functional medicine doctor, Dr. Sklar understands the importance of a healthy diet. The conventional medical establishment often overlooks this critical lifestyle component. Eating for energy has two important pieces: (1) regulating your blood sugar, and (2) nourishing your adrenal glands. This article will explain the benefits of blood sugar regulation, attending to your adrenals and will give you some practical suggestions that I’ve found to be helpful with most of my patients. 562-596-5196 Sc ..read more

Untreated Thyroid Disease: Do You Feel Cold, Fat, and Tired? By Susan E. Sklar, M.D. Untreated thyroid disease is more common than you may think and affects thousands of women. For some it destroys their life. Feeling cold and exhausted diminishes the quality of your life. Many women feel sick. As a functional medicine doctor, Dr. Sklar knows how to interpret lab results. She wants your thyroid labs to be at “optimal” levels, not just in the “normal” range. Despite these symptoms, doctors often say “your labs are normal”. The untreated thyroid disease and this “medical” rejection is fo ..read more

Could Hormones be the Cause of Your Fatigue Symptoms? By Susan E. Sklar, M.D. The Pandemic has Played Havoc with Our Hormones The pandemic that began roughly in March of 2020 has caused profound changes in the way we cope with stress. We have never experienced a traumatic event like this during our lifetime.  My daughter Sonya lived through the pandemic at its epicenter in New York City. Like so many other families, we were isolated from each other. It was a very trying time for our family. We were worried and separated for such a long time. Just think of elementary, high school, and c ..read more

Feeling Tired All the Time? Adrenal Fatigue: Symptoms and Treatment By Susan E. Sklar, M.D. On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Covid-19 a pandemic. Since then, we have been going through periods of isolation, fear, and stress, For some of us we are still grieving for those we know who have died from the virus. Many of us have been infected with the virus and have recovered. Infection with the Covid-19 virus has been a stressful experience. Just trying to maintain our lives during this period at an even keel has been exhausting. The effect on our health for many ..read more

9 Causes of Mouth Pain You Should Know About By Susan E. Sklar, M.D. Secondary Burning Mouth Syndrome This article is about the some of the secondary causes of Burning Mouth Syndrome. While there is some debate about what is a primary cause and what is secondary these nine causes can be recognized by history or clinical findings. Yes, that means your doctor can figure out the reason your mouth is burning. 562-596-5196 Schedule a Call A recent paper in the Journal of Practical Pain Management the authors list reasons for the pain of Burning Mouth Syndrome. Here are their reasons: D ..read more

Hormone Help for Burning Mouth Syndrome By Susan E. Sklar, M.D. I want to inform my readers that I have updated this article with the most current understanding of the relationship between hormones and pain. This understanding guides me in treating my patients. What is Pain? Pain is a reflex response in our bodies just something that potentially can damage us. Sometimes pain tells us to immobilize a body part that’s been injured so that repair can take place. These are examples of beneficial pain. There is a more insidious type of pain however, called neuropathic pain. this pain goes on be ..read more

Burning Mouth Syndrome: There is Hope By Susan E. Sklar, M.D. Burning Mouth Syndrome is a painful burning, scalding, or tingling feeling in the mouth and the tongue. One of my first patients was Jeannie. At the time, she was vivacious 42-year-old mother of two children who worked as a massage therapist and chef. She was living the idyllic life in beautiful northern California until burning mouth syndrome came into her life. 562-596-5196 Schedule a Call Jeannie started having severe burning pain throughout her mouth and tongue. It had started two years before. Her life has become ..read more

Conventional Evaluation and Treatment of Burning Mouth Syndrome By Susan E. Sklar, M.D. The first step in treating Burning Mouth Syndrome is a thorough evaluation. A physician must make the diagnosis initially. This because there are other diseases and side effects of medicines that can occur with similar symptoms. Do you have Burning Mouth Syndrome? Are you plagued with burning in your mouth or tongue?  Does it occur every day?  Has it gone on for four to six months?  Have you been to many doctors and dentists who say everything looks normal?  If so, you likely have Bu ..read more