Effectiveness of Yoga in the Management of Jaw Muscle Pain

      Jaw and cervical muscle pain is a common component of Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD) with impairment in jaw function, the prevalence of which results in high health-care costs. The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of a non-invasive approach by using Yoga in the management of muscle pain.

Methods:

      Twenty six subjects with standardised diagnoses of jaw muscle pain (Research Diagnostic Criteria for TMDs) volunteered for this double-blind randomised controlled study. Subjects undergoing other management for facial pain and TMDs were excluded. Subjects were randomized to one of two interventions, either a yoga inclusive management program or active control standard care program. Both groups received the intervention for 28 days. The outcome measures analysed were the change in pain intensity on an 11-point numerical rating scale and change in pain location and distribution with marking the area using digitalised pain mapping software during the study. Jaw mobility, oral health related quality of life and cognitive factors related to the subject`s understanding of pain were determined at baseline and at the end of 28days. The effectiveness of Yoga was assessed by calculating the change in outcome measures at the beginning and the end of the study and compared using the Mann Whitney test.

Results:

     Of the twenty six subjects, nineteen (9 Yoga; 10 controls) completed the study. The yoga group exhibited reduced pain mapping areas (p=0.065), increased jaw mobility and pain free opening (p=0.053) compared with the active control group.  There was a statistically significant improvement in the pain catastrophising (p=0.035) and pain self efficacy (p=0.001) scores in the yoga group.

Conclusions:

     The results support the useful role of yoga in the management of jaw muscle pain.