Showing papers on "Orofacial pain published in 1988"

Pain intensity measurements in patients with acute pain receiving afferent stimulation.

Abstract: Six different pain rating scales, including a "pain relief scale", were compared in 80 patients suffering acute orofacial pain. Pain intensity measurements were made before and after a 30 min period of afferent stimulation (TENS/vibration and placebo). A good correlation was found between pain scores derived from the pain relief scale, visual analogue-, numerical- and graphic rating scales. The verbal rating scale did not perform well. The pain relief scale and the numerical rating scale are interesting alternatives to the established visual analogue scale.

Temporomandibular disorders. Variation in clinical practice.

Abstract: This research describes the extent of variability in diagnosis and treatment of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and relates this variability to treatment outcomes. A health maintenance organization sequentially referred 145 patients with orofacial pain and dysfunction to two TMD clinics. The two clinics differed substantially in their use of tomography (applied to 28% vs. 64% of all patients), and varied moderately in diagnoses assigned to the patient groups. There was large variation in selection of treatments including appliances for bruxism (64% vs. 5%), mandibular repositioning (10% vs. 25%), and joint stabilization (3% vs. 30%); anti-inflammatory medications (44% vs. 19%) and analgesics (16% vs. 2%); and subsequent referral for dental or orthodontic treatment (1% vs. 42%). The differences in diagnostic and therapeutic practice that were found were not associated with important differences in patient-reported pain and dysfunction at 1-year follow-up. These data indicate the need for systematic approaches to identifying, evaluating, and modifying variation in health care practices for common presenting problems lacking reliable methods of evaluation and generally accepted clinical standards for choice of treatments.

Temporomandibular joint dysfunction and orofacial pain caused by parotid gland malignancy: report of case

Abstract: A 41-year-old female with 2 years of mandibular and maxillary facial pain sought multiple medical evaluations. Symptoms were similar to those accompanying many benign temporomandibular, salivary gland, and neurological disorders. Through manual palpation, a slight swelling in the salivary gland was discovered; a malignant carcinoma was removed by parotidectomy.

Sensibility threshold in depressive and nondepressive patients with chronic orofacial pain.

Abstract: Sensibility threshold was measured in patients with depressive and nondepressive psychiatric disorders, where both groups were suffering from chronic orofacial pain. The control patients had no pain and no signs of mental disturbance. Patients with major depressive disorders had a significantly lower sensibility threshold than patients with milder depressive disorders, while patients with milder depressive disorders had a significantly lower sensibility threshold than patients with nondepressive mental disorders. The controls had the highest sensibility threshold. Plasma, beta-endorphin, cortisol and prolactin levels were also measured. The depressed patients were found to have a lower serum beta-endorphin level than the nondepressive patients and the controls, although the difference was not statistically significant.

Clinical examination of patients with orofacial pain

Abstract: A thorough clinical examination of patients with orofacial pain is of paramount importance. The examination is time-consuming, but is usually fully rewarding in that it may prevent unnecessary or incorrect and often irreversible treatment, and clarify to the clinician and hopefully to the patient the nature of the patient's problem. Only then may proper treatment be rendered. In this context it should be noted that a skillfully performed examination in these patients in itself provides valuable and effective treatment, especially when muscular dysfunction is the primary cause of the pain.

Oral and facial pain.

Abstract: Diagnosis of oral and facial pain is often difficult because several anatomical structures within this small area are capable of producing similar symptoms, and pain referred from cranial or distant sites and emotional or psychiatric disturbances complicate matters further. This article summarizes some of the more common causes of orofacial pain, with the exception of disorders of the temporomandibular joint and associated musculature, which are covered in a separate article.

Orofacial pain--troll and control: five topics on clinical problems.

Abstract: Pain is etymologically combined with penalty, emotionally with anxiety and depression, and physiologically with inflammatory processes and other kinds of pressure augmentation in the tissues. Pain is a subjective experience that cannot be measured or “objectively” verified by other individuals. Reactions to pain, however, can be registered by others. Pain in the orofacial area may have several etiological explanations. Since the functional pattern of the area is multi-faceted, persisting pain in the area most likely has a multi-factorial background, and also a variety of effects. Treatment should be made considering delicate diagnostical distinctions. A thorough clinical examination contains lots of treatment components. This paper discusses some psychological factors in the diagnosis and treatment of orofacial pain.