You might be wondering how a food sensitivity could possibly relate or contribute to an orofacial myofunctional disorder. I’m here to shed some light on that. Food sensitivities can lead to an overall decline in optimal health, but many times the symptoms are explained away as being caused by something else. While food sensitivities can cause a wide range of symptoms, the ones that concern me (as a myofunctional therapist) the most are inflammation and increased mucus production. Increased inflammation leads to increased mucus and increased mucus decreases our ability to breathe through our noses.
Nasal breathing
If the nose is obstructed with mucus, we are unable to breathe through our noses. Nasal breathing is so incredibly important for the growth and development of our facial structure, palate, nasal cavity, and airway. The tongue needs to rest against the palate to create lateral pressure to grow the palate broad and forward, and to keep itself out of the throat/airway. In order for this to happen, our nose must be free from obstruction so that nasal breathing can occur.
Read: Why Is Nasal Breathing So Important?
How do I know if I have a food sensitivity?
There are a few different ways to identify food sensitivities. A standard elimination diet is a great and inexpensive way to determine sensitivities. This option is not my favorite due to the fact that it takes a lot of will power and is somewhat subjective. When adding foods back in, the person has to be very diligent about documenting symptoms and listening to their body. Another option is an IgG food sensitivity test. There are many different tests on the market. Everlywell is a kit that you can order online and prick your own finger, dab it on the paper provided, send it in, and they will send the results back. This test is a great starting point and can be a great tool; however, it’s not as accurate as other tests. My favorite test is the Mediator Release Test. This test is the gold standard, but is also the most expensive. If you’re interested in running this type of test, contact me and I can get it set up for you!
Myofunctional therapy can help
Myofunctional therapy is a multi-disciplinary approach that seeks the root cause of airway issues and OMDs. Food sensitivities are only one piece of the puzzle when addressing underlying issues, but testing can be a good tool if nasal obstruction is an area of difficulty. A myofunctional therapist will also direct you to other providers, if necessary. These might include an ENT, orthodontist, dentist, allergist, or craniosacral therapist.