Complementary Medicine Approaches to TMD Pain Management

Temporomandibular disorders are characterized by pain and tenderness in the muscles of mastication and/or the (TMJ), limitations of jaw opening often accompanied by deviations in mandibular path, and clicking, popping or grating TMJ sounds. This study will compare the effectiveness of the complementary therapies chiropractic therapy and bodywork therapy to the standard of care for TMJ pain. If these complementary interventions are shown to be effective, the goal is to design and implement a Phase III clinical trial to further evaluate the health consequences and cost of these therapies.

Participants will be evaluated at baseline, and 6 and 12 months post-intervention. Clinical examinations, saliva samples to assess salivary cortisol levels, and a series of questionnaires to assess pain and grade of dysfunctional pain, psychological functioning, and other physical symptoms will be used to assess outcomes. The investigators will passively monitor health care utilization within KPNW using clinical, research, and administrative databases.