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Use of the Operant Orofacial Pain Assessment Device (OPAD) to Measure Changes in Nociceptive Behavior
Published on: June 10, 2013
Muscle pain modulates mastication: an experimental study in humans
P Svensson1, L Arendt-Nielsen, L Houe
1Center for Sensory-Motor Interaction, Aalborg University, Denmark. psv@miba.auc.dk
Journal of Orofacial Pain
|July 10, 1998
Summary
Muscle pain from hypertonic saline reduced maximum voluntary occlusal force and jaw-closing muscle activity in healthy men. This study investigated pain
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Physiology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Muscle pain impacts motor control and function.
- Understanding pain's effect on mastication is crucial for oral health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of induced masseter muscle pain on masticatory function.
- To quantify changes in occlusal force and muscle activity during pain.
Main Methods:
- Induced masseter muscle pain using hypertonic saline infusion in healthy men.
- Assessed pain intensity via visual analogue scale (VAS).
- Quantified mastication using jaw-tracking and electromyography (EMG) of jaw-closing muscles, measuring maximum voluntary occlusal force (MVOF).
Main Results:
- Tonic muscle pain significantly reduced MVOF (P < .0005).
- Averaged EMG activity of jaw-closing muscles decreased during painful mastication (P < .05).
- No significant changes in jaw movements were detected with current tracking devices.
Conclusions:
- Masseter muscle pain impairs occlusal force and muscle activation during mastication.
- Findings suggest pain influences the bilateral recruitment patterns of jaw muscles.
- Further research with advanced tracking technology is needed to detect subtle jaw movement alterations.
