Initial Evidence for a Brief Psychological Telehealth Intervention for Patients With Chronic Masticatory Muscle Pain
Ian Boggero, PhD
Summary
This study will use a between-person design. Participants will be treatment-seeking patients with chronic masticatory muscle pain. Participants who are eligible for the study and consent to participate will be randomly assigned to receive a brief behavioral intervention for chronic orofacial pain called Physical Self-Regulation or a control intervention. Interventions will be administered via telehealth in both arms. Both interventions will consist of 2 50-minute sessions scheduled approximately two weeks apart. Participants will be contacted two weeks and three months after completing the interventions to provide additional follow-up data. Investigators hypothesize that both PSR-TH and the control intervention will demonstrate strong feasibility (i.e., recruitment of at least 1 participant per week, \>75% retention, \>95% interventionist fidelity, and adequate acceptability, credibility, and burden). Investigators also hypothesize that specific biopsychosocial variables will moderate PSR-TH-related changes in outcomes, and that PSR-TH-related changes in perceived control over pain, self-efficacy, coping, parafunctional habits, and relaxation will mediate treatment effects.
Description
Chronic masticatory muscle pain disorders (MMPD) consist of several conditions (e.g., myofascial pain, local myalgia) characterized by pain in the muscles of the temporomandibular area lasting longer than three months. MMPD affects 5-12% of adults, is the most common cause of chronic non-odontogenic facial pain, and the second most common musculoskeletal pain condition after chronic low back pain. MMPD is associated with pain-related interference with daily activities, diminished quality of life (QoL) and costs of \> $4 billion/year in the US, representing a serious public health issue. Chroni…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18+ years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * Have a primary or secondary chronic masticatory muscle pain diagnosis * Provide signed and dated electronic informed consent form * Willing to comply with all study procedures * Male or female, aged 18 or over * Be able to speak and write in English * Be seeking treatment at UKOPC * Have the ability to perform telehealth visits (i.e., internet access, phone, tablet, computer or other device with audio/visual capabilities) Exclusion Criteria: * Currently using anticonvulsant, steroid, antispasmodic, or opioid medication for chronic pain 2 days a week or more often * Hav…
Interventions
- BehavioralPhysical Self Regulation Telehealth
2 sessions of an intervention delivered via telehealth. Session 1 includes awareness and strategies for monitoring habits and 4 exercises to practice 5 times per day. Session 2 will be 2 weeks later and is a review of session 1 and an introduction to diaphragmatic breathing. Breathing is practiced for 15 minutes twice per day.
- BehavioralPsycho-education Telehealth
2 sessions of an intervention delivered via telehealth. Session 1 includes discussing trigeminal nerve function, jaw and muscle anatomy, posture, pain referral patterns, and stress biology. Participants rate pain and jaw fatigue 5 times per day. Session 2 will be 2 weeks later and consists of checking on the homework and information from session 1,followed by a discussion of autonomic nervous system activity, and a discussion of sleep quality and sleep hygiene. Participants will be instructed to rate their stress levels, pain, and mood several times per day, similar to the times when participants in the PSR-TH condition would be practicing diaphragmatic breathing
Location
- University of KentuckyLexington, Kentucky