Temporomandibular Disorders

Is neck pain an initial symptom of temporomandibular disorder (TMD) development? Researchers publishing their findings in the journal Cureus say very likely YES. Neck muscle groups—the trapezius, splenius capitis, sternocleidomastoid, anterior digastric, posterior digastric muscle—were studied in 44 patients via manual palpation. Pain severity was compared to objective/subjective TMD symptons and then compared to patients who did not have TMD. Neck pain increased with increasing severity of TMD. Almost 60% of those with TMD had statistically significant degrees of neck musculature pain.

The study concluded, “neck muscle pain co-existed with TMD in the majority of the cases, and the severity of TMD had a direct correlation with pain in various groups of neck muscles.” Researchers state that “Adding neck muscle evaluation in the diagnostic protocol of TMD would lead to a better quality of life in such patients.”

 

Read the journal article.

Other Categories:

• orthopedics

• pain assessment

• pain diagnostics

• pain management