Methods: The study population consisted of 199 consecutive patients (161 women, 38 men; average age, 40.3±17.4 years) from among 833 consecutive patients referred to an orofacial pain center for diagnosis and treatment. All patients received a comprehensive examination, including evaluations specified in the research diagnostic criteria for TMDs, and were assessed by standardized examinations. Subjective symptoms were assessed using self-reported forms with 5 ratings for pain intensity in the orofacial region and 6 ratings for difficulties in activities of daily living (rating scale, 0–10). Patients were divided into diagnostic categories on the basis of their primary diagnosis—temporomandibular joint problem (n=38) or myofascial pain (n=161)—and stratified according to the presence of a chief complaint of headache. Their symptoms were compared by the Mann-Whitney U test. Pvalues less than 0.05 were considered significant.
Results: Pain intensity and degree of sleeping difficulties were not significantly different between patients with/without a chief complaint of headache in the temporomandibular joint problem group, but were significantly different in the myofascial pain group: jaw/face pain, P=0.015; headache, P<0.001; neck pain, P<0.001; and sleeping difficulties, P=0.005.
Conclusions: Significant differences in findings were observed between patients in the temporomandibular joint problem and myofascial pain groups. The presence of a chief complaint of headache appears to be an indicator of increased pain and more difficulty in sleeping in the myofascial pain TMD group.