Comparison of the Effect of Pain Neuroscience Education Combined With Physiotherapy, and Physiotherapy Alone in Temporomandibular Disorders

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

Physiotherapy: Physiotherapy treatment programs include therapeutic ultrasound, muscle relaxation techniques, range of motion exercises, and joint and soft tissue mobilization.

Pain Neuroscience Education: PNE sessions will be conducted in addition to physiotherapy programs for intervention groups. PNE sessions will occupy half of each session during the first two weeks. Physiotherapists trained in PNE will deliver sessions using a combination of metaphors, animated videos, and scientifically accurate descriptions. The same physiotherapist will lead both sessions with the same patient. Active learning techniques will include: Connecting new information with prior knowledge. Operationalizing key pain concepts into individual contexts. Facilitated problem-solving and critical reflection.

Study summary

This research study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Pain Neuroscience Education (PNE) when it is added to a physiotherapy program for people experiencing chronic temporomandibular disorders (TMD). To see whether adding PNE to physiotherapy program would provides additional benefits in reducing pain intensity, improving psychological well-being, and enhancing functional outcomes. The findings are expected to provide new insights into more comprehensive and patient-centered treatment strategies for managing chronic TMD.

Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups:

Control Group: Physiotherapy only

PNE Group: Physiotherapy plus Pain Neuroscience Education

Both groups will receive their respective treatments for a set period of time.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• The Craniofacial Pain and Disability Inventory (CF-PDI) — Baseline, 1 month after start of treatment, Immediate post-treatment, 3 month follow up
  It consists of 21 items, with a score ranging from 0 to 63 points. Each question is scored on a 4-point ordinal scale, ranging from 0 to 3. A higher score reflects higher disability levels.

Trial sites (1)

Other trials for the same condition