Positive Health Online

Abstract

NICOLAKIS et al., Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Vienna, AKH Wien, Austria, E: peter.nicolakis@akh-wien.ac.at, demonstrated the effectiveness of exercise therapy in patients with temporomandibular joint pain.

Background

Methodology

Patients suffering from myofascial pain dysfunction were treated in this controlled study. The control group consisted of 20 waiting list patients. Inclusion criteria for the study were pain in the temporomandibular region for at least 3 months, no evidence of internal derangement or osteoarthritis, and symptoms of postural dysfunction. Treatment consisted of active and passive jaw movement exercises, correction of body posture and relaxation techniques. Pain at rest, pain at stress, impairment, and mouth-opening were measured at baseline and at 6 months follow-up.

Results

The waiting-list controls experienced no significant changes. After treatment 6 patients had no pain at all (p = 0.01) and 7 patients experienced no impairment (p = 0.005). Pain at stress, impairment and incisal edge clearance improved significantly (p = 0.001). At 6 months, 16 patients experienced no pain at all, 13 patients were not impaired, and only 3 patients had a restricted mouth opening, compared to 12 before treatment (p = 0.001).

Conclusion

Exercise therapy seems to be useful in the treatment of myofascial pain dysfunction syndrome.

References

Nicolakis P, Erdogmus B, Kopf A, Nicolakis M, Piehslinger E, Fialka-Moser V. Effectiveness of exercise therapy in patients with myofascial pain dysfunction syndrome. Journal of Oral Rehabilitation 29 (4): 362-368, Apr 2002.