Role of electro acupuncture therapy on temporomandibular joint pain with orofacial myalgia following post healed unilateral cervicofacial burn

Background: Temporomandibular Joint (TJ) pain and orofacial myalgia (OM) are the most significant problems in physiotherapy context to treat in Cervicofacial burn (CB). However, there is a lack of clinical studies in investigating the effects of electro acupuncture therapy on TJ pain with OM following post healed CB patients. Objective: To investigate the effects of clinical and functional efficacy of electro acupuncture therapy on temporomandibular joint pain with orofacial myalgia following post healed cervicofacial burn patients. Methods: Through two block random sampling method, the eligible participants were randomized and allocated into active EAT (Active-EAT; n = 15) and placebo EAT (Placebo-EAT; n = 15) groups. The Active-EAT group received electro acupuncture therapy and the Placebo-EAT group received placebo effect with regular physiotherapy care for 4 times in a week for 4 weeks. Primary (pain intensity, pain threshold, pain frequency) and secondary (mouth opening, disability level and quality of life) measures were measured at baseline, after the 4th week, 8th week and 6 month follow up. Results: Baseline demographic and clinical attributes show homogenous presentation among the study groups (p > 0.05). After 4 weeks of treatment, and at the end of 6 months follow up, the pain intensity, 3.0 (CI 95% 2.83 to 3.16), pain threshold 18.6 (CI 95% -35.0 to -2.1), pain frequency 2.9 (CI 95% 2.54 to 3.25), mouth opening, -13.4 (CI 95% -15.1 to -11.6), disability level 12.4 (CI 95% 12.16 to 12.63), and quality of life -25.8 (CI 95% -31.0 to -20.5) showed more improvement (p < 0.001) in Active-EAT group than Placebo-EAT group. Conclusion: The reports of this study proved that, 4 weeks active electro acupuncture therapy with regular physiotherapy care has an ideal treatment protocol for temporomandibular joint pain with orofacial myalgia following post healed cervicofacial burn. This study also provided a new knowledge for physiotherapists in the field of TJ rehabilitation.