Scientific Proof to How your Body react to Acupuncture - Facial Pain or TMD
Regular sessions of Acupuncture can help in the treatment for temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and myofascial pain resulting from TMD.
Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is clinically characterized by pain in the masticatory muscles of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). In simple laymen terms, face and jaw pain.
Facial pain or myofascial pain is characterized by localized hypersensitive spots in palpable taut muscle fibers (myofascial trigger points). These trigger points may result from muscle overload from trauma or repetitive activities that cause abnormal stress on specific muscle groups in the face.
Patients usually complain of tenderness, headaches, restricted movement of the jaws, muscle stiffness, and weakness.
From my experience in clinical practice, people who are undergoing high stress are amongst the ones who may experience TMD and hence facial pain. It is the result of prolonged clenching of the jaws when they are coping with the stress in their daily lives.
Below are the scientific proofs to using acupuncture for treating TMD and Facial pain:
Conclusion: Acupuncture suppresses the nociceptive trigeminal nucleus caudalis and spinal dorsal horn neurons via modulation of the release of neuropeptides and neurotransmitters.
In human language: Acupuncture aids in suppressing the perception of pain at the facial area via regulating the pain receptors and pain signaling chemicals in our body.
Conclusion: All studies are in accordance with the notion that acupuncture is effective for temporomandibular joint dysfunction.
Conclusion: This short-term comparative effectiveness study of chronic facial pain suggests that TCM is safe and frequently efficacious alone or subsequent to standard psychosocial interventions.