Thermographic findings in cranio-facial pain

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Pain Management
• Thermography

Background:

• Craniofacial pain and headaches are common conditions.
• Understanding thermographic variations in affected individuals is crucial for diagnosis.
• The role of muscle activity in thermographic findings requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare thermographic findings in the craniofacial and neck regions between healthy subjects and patients with craniofacial pain or headache.
• To investigate the impact of muscle contraction, specifically tooth clenching, on thermographic results.
• To evaluate thermography as a diagnostic tool for head and face pain.

Main Methods:

• Thermographic imaging was performed on 10 healthy subjects and 47 patients with various craniofacial pain or headache conditions.
• Recordings were taken between painful episodes for patients.
• Lateral thermograms were acquired during and after maximal tooth clenching in a subset of participants.

Main Results:

• The majority of patients exhibited thermal alterations and asymmetry compared to the control group.
• These alterations are attributed to a combination of vascular instability and muscle contraction.
• A consistent finding in cluster headache and chronic paroxysmal hemicrania was a "cold spot" on the symptomatic side in the supraorbital or inner orbital canthus area.

Conclusions:

• Thermography serves as a valuable supplementary diagnostic tool for individuals experiencing head and face pain.
• The tooth clenching test can augment the diagnostic utility of thermography.
• Thermographic findings suggest a complex interplay of vascular and muscular factors in craniofacial pain.