Prevalence of temporomandibular disorder in patients with chronic headache

Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) refers to chronic pain of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) associated with headache, neck pain, shoulder pain or back pain. The origin of these pains may be related to TMD. Many patients with chronic headache undergo different treatments for long periods of time with no cure. These headaches can be treated with proper diagnosis. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of TMD in patients with chronic pain.
In this cross-sectional study, the prevalence of TMD was evaluated in 119 patients with chronic headache. Patients with headache for more than 6 months and those whose headache did not improve with medication were included. The research diagnostic criteria for temporomandibular disorders RDC/TMD (AXIS I, AXISII) questionnaire was used for assessment of TMD. Independent t-test was used to assess the correlation of TMD with headache and age. Chi square test was used to compare males and females.
A total of 119 patients with a mean age of 36.14±10.86 years (range 18-65 years) were evaluated. Of patients, 30% were males and 70% were females. The prevalence of TMD was 66%. The prevalence of mayofacial pain dysfunction syndrome (MPDS) was 11%. The prevalence of pain, clenching, trismus and clicking was 15.1%, 4.2%, 5% and 10.1%, respectively.
The prevalence of TMD was high in patients with chronic headache. Thus, assessment of TMJ is recommended in diagnostic workup and treatment of patients with chronic headache.