Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction; Myofascial Pain Syndrome; Orofacial Pain; Musculoskeletal Disorders
Conditions
Keywords
headache; temporomandibular disorders; dry needling; rehabilitation therapy; pain; quality of life, temporomandibular disorders; dry needling; rehabilitation therapy; pain; quality of life
Brief summary
This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of dry needling in patients with functional temporomandibular pain syndrome by comparing standard rehabilitation therapy alone with therapy combined with dry needling to reduce pain, improve jaw function and enhance quality of life.
Detailed description
This prospective, randomized, controlled pilot study aims to evaluate the therapeutic effects of dry needling in patients with functional temporomandibular pain syndrome. A total of 100 participants will be randomly assigned to two groups: an experimental group receiving standard rehabilitation combined with dry needling therapy, and a control group undergoing standard rehabilitation only. The intervention program will consist of ten outpatient rehabilitation sessions conducted over five weeks. Outcome measures will include pain intensity (Visual Analogue Scale, VAS), temporomandibular joint range of motion, presence of joint sound phenomena, and quality of life assessed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life - BREF questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire). Measurements will be collected at baseline, immediately after the first therapy session, and upon completion of the treatment cycle. Descriptive statistics will be used for data analysis. The Shapiro-Wilk test will assess data normality. Between-group differences will be analyzed using parametric (t-test) or nonparametric (Mann-Whitney, Wilcoxon) tests, depending on data distribution. Correlation analyses will be performed using Pearson's or Spearman's correlation coefficients. Statistical significance will be set at p \< 0.05. All statistical analyses will be conducted using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 29.0 (Armonk, NY, USA).
Interventions
PROCEDUREDry needling
One dry needling intervention targeting trigger points in the masseter and temporalis muscles during the first treatment session
PROCEDUREStandard rehabilitation
The therapy will include mobilization, soft tissue relaxation techniques, and specific exercises focused on improving temporomandibular joint mobility and reducing muscle tension.
Sponsors
Palacky University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Diagnosed with functional temporomandibular pain syndrome without structural temporomandibular joint damage. * Aged ≥18 years. * Stable health condition suitable for outpatient rehabilitation. * Willingness to participate and ability to follow the therapeutic protocol.
Exclusion criteria
* Presence of degenerative, post-traumatic, or inflammatory changes in the temporomandibular joint. * Cognitive or psychiatric disorders limiting cooperation. * Lack of informed consent or non-compliance during treatment
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Pain Intensity using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). | Baseline (pre-intervention) Immediately after the first therapy session At completion of the treatment program (after 10 therapy sessions). | * Description: Evaluation of subjective pain intensity in the temporomandibular region assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), a continuous scale ranging from 0 to 10, where 0 represents no pain and 10 represents the worst imaginable pain. Higher scores indicate worse pain intensity. * Measurement Type: Continuous (0-10 scale). |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Range of Motion, Joint Sound Phenomena and Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF) | Baseline (pre-intervention) Immediately after the first therapy session At completion of the treatment program (after 10 therapy sessions) | * Description: Measurement of maximal mouth opening and mandibular movement range using a caliper to assess functional improvement of the TMJ. * Measurement Type: Continuous (millimeters). and * Description: Clinical assessment of the presence or absence of joint sounds (clicking, popping, or crepitation) during mandibular movement as an indicator of TMJ functional stability. * Measurement Type: Categorical (present/absent). and * Description: Evaluation of overall quality of life using the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire, which assesses physical, psychological, social, and environmental domains. * Measurement Type: Continuous (score-based) |
Countries
Czechia
Contacts
CONTACTPetr Konečný, Ph.D, M.D., assoc.prof.
CONTACTDana Dvořáková, MSc.
Outcome results
None listed