A new article in the Clinical Journal of Pains shows that patients who develop TMD have increases in Headaches & Migraines but also have significant increases in other bodily pains. In addition to increase in headaches patients who were diagnosed as developing TMD had increases in muscle and joint pain, back pain, chest pain, abdominal pain and menstrual pain.
The study was done on 266 female patients aged 18-34 years old who initially were free of TMD symptoms. Over 5% of the population developed new TMD symptoms. There is no question that the majority of headaches are caused by the trigeminal nerve (dental Nerve) what this study sees to imply is that the trigemino system may increase perception of pain throughout the body. This may be do to central sensitization. This is a rationale for utilizing neuromuscular dentistry to treat patients early to prevent a local problem from becoming widespread.
Dr Barry Cooper has shown an "overwhelming" positive effect on headaches and TMJ disorders with Neuromuscular Dentistry. A neuromuscular dentist has the training and equipment necessary to evaluate physiologic parameters and idealize occlusion to reduce or eliminate TMD symptoms and Headaches and prevent a local problem from becoming a whole body problem.
Clin J Pain. 2010 Feb;26(2):116-20.
Development of temporomandibular disorders is associated with greater bodily pain experience.
Lim PF, Smith S, Bhalang K, Slade GD, Maixner W.
Center for Neurosensory Disorders, School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7455, USA. peifeng_lim@dentistry.unc.edu
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to examine the difference in the report of bodily pain experienced by patients who develop temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and by those who do not develop TMD over a 3-year observation period. METHODS: This is a 3-year prospective study of 266 females aged 18 to 34 years initially free of TMD pain. All patients completed the Symptom Report Questionnaire (SRQ) at baseline and yearly intervals, and at the time they developed TMD (if applicable). The SRQ is a self-report instrument evaluating the extent and location of pain experienced in the earlier 6 months. Statistical analysis was carried out using repeated measures ANOVA. RESULTS: Over the 3-year period, 16 patients developed TMD based on the Research Diagnostic Criteria for TMD. Participants who developed TMD reported more headaches (P=0.0089), muscle soreness or pain (P=0.005), joint soreness or pain (P=0.0012), back pain (P=0.0001), chest pain (P=0.0004), abdominal pain (P=0.0021), and menstrual pain (P=0.0036) than Participants who did not develop TMD at both the baseline and final visits. Participants who developed TMD also reported significantly more headache (P=0.0006), muscle soreness or pain (P=0.0059), and other pains (P=0.0188) when they were diagnosed with TMD compared with the baseline visit. DISCUSSION: The development of TMD was accompanied by increases in headaches, muscle soreness or pain, and other pains that were not observed in the Participants who did not develop TMD. Participants who developed TMD also report higher experience of joint, back, chest, and menstrual pain at baseline.
PMID: 20090437 [PubMed - in process]
