Methods: Study included: 36 war veterans with PTSD (mean age 39.78±5.23), 31 war veterans without PTSD (mean age 39.55±6.63), and 31 healthy men who did not participate in war and without PTSD (mean age 39.68±7.34). The presence of self-reported pain, pain on digital palpation and pain severity of masticatory/neck muscles and temporomandibular joints, as well as level of depression were assessed according to RDC/TMD protocol. Number of self-reported pain and painful sites were correlated with level of depression.
Results: We observed more self-reported pain and more painful sites in group of war veterans with PTSD, than in both control groups (p<0.05 for all). PTSD patients were mostly severely depressed. There was statistically significant positive correlation between all investigated parameters about pain and depression. However, in group of PTSD patients there was no observed correlation between the number of self-reported pain localization, the number of painful sites and the level of depression.
Conclusion: A major finding of the present study is the evidence that chronic orofacial pain is related with PTSD and depression. Since we observed different numbers of painful sites as well as different levels of pain but mostly severe depression using Symptoms Checklist 90-revised in group of PTSD, more sensitive diagnostic method is required in future studies.