Abdominal Acupuncture for Non-Responding TMD Patients: a Retrospective Observational Study in General Practice
Emanuela Serritella1, Gabriella Galluccio1, Carlo Di Paolo1
1Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies
|April 19, 2023
Summary
Abdominal acupuncture effectively treated chronic Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD) pain, improving mouth opening and quality of life for patients resistant to conventional therapies.
Area of Science:
- Integrative and Complementary Medicine
- Pain Management
- Acupuncture Research
Background:
- Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD) cause severe, life-impacting pain, often unresponsive to standard treatments.
- Abdominal Acupuncture (AA) shows promise for chronic pain but lacks investigation in TMD patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of Abdominal Acupuncture (AA) for subacute and chronic TMD pain.
- To assess AA's effectiveness in patients refractory to conventional TMD therapies.
Main Methods:
- Twenty-eight patients with resistant TMD pain received eight AA sessions over four weeks.
- Evaluated outcomes included maximum mouth opening, pain intensity (VNS), quality of life (BPI), and oral functioning (OBC).
Main Results:
- Significant improvements observed in maximum mouth opening (p=0.0002) and TMD-related pain (p<0.001) post-AA.
- Patients reported enhanced general activity and quality of life (p<0.05) following treatment.
Conclusions:
- Abdominal Acupuncture is an effective treatment for resistant TMD pain.
- AA improves mandibular function, reduces facial pain, and alleviates pain's impact on quality of life.
