Stress in patients with pain in the muscles of mastication and the temporomandibular joints.

Abstract

This study examined the role of stress in subjects having combined muscle and temporomandibular joint pain compared to subjects having only muscle pain or only joint pain. It was found that the combined pain (n = 39) and muscle pain (n = 24) groups had comparable levels of pain intensity and activity impairment. The combined pain group, however, had the lowest level of stress and was rated lower than the muscle group in clinicians ratings of psychological factors, stress and chronicity. The combined pain group and joint pain group (n = 28) were found to be comparable in terms of the clinician's ratings. This data does not support the concept of a progression of symptoms from muscle pain to combined muscle and joint pain that would be expected from a stress-induced muscle hyperactivity model of temporomandibular disorders.