INFLUENCE OF MANUAL THERAPY ON CORTISOL LEVELS, PAIN INTENSITY, QUALITY OF LIFE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS IN PATIENTS WITH TEMPOROMANDIBULAR DYSFUNCTION PILOT STUDY.
Temporomandibular dysfunction; Quality of life; Manual therapy; Salivary cortisol.
Introduction: Salivary cortisol may be increased in the face of emotional changes in individuals with temporomandibular disorders (TMD), impairing their quality of life. Physiotherapy has an important role in this pathology, as it brings together a therapeutic arsenal for pain relief, through a complex mechanism involving the muscles of the head, neck and shoulder girdle, as well as also seeking to reestablish the function of the masticatory apparatus Objective: Evaluate TM pain intensity, salivary cortisol level, degree of anxiety, depression and quality of life in patients with TMD. Methodology: A pilot study was carried out with TMD patients, diagnosed by the Temporomandibular Dysfunction Diagnosis Criterion (RDC / TMD). The selected patients received 8 sessions of TM. The level of salivary cortisol, pain intensity (VAS), degree of anxiety (HADS, BAI and STAI), degree of depression (HADS) and quality of life (WHOQUOL) were assessed before and after the application of the therapy. Partial Results: It was observed that after TM, most patients were pain-free (VAS = 0), with a decrease in the level of salivary cortisol (1.55 µg / dl), less anxious (medium anxiety) and less depressed ( mild depression) and improved quality of life.