Jump to content
IndiaDivine.org

Grinding teeth [Bruxism]

Rate this topic


Guest guest

Recommended Posts

Hi All, & Hi Dermot

 

Dermot wrote:

> May, It usually manifests within the pattern of Lover Qi Stag, so

> using LV03 and PC06 works well. I would also use CV24 and SI19

> (both sides). Results are usually very good.

 

Ummm ... Dermot, is Lover Qi Stag [a slip of the pen[is]?] the root

cause of the " Seven Year Itch " ? ;-))

 

Google has many hits oon AP & bruxism. See:

http://www.yinyanghouse.com/chinesetheory/etiology-tmj.html

 

Bruxism is a symptom/sign of an underlying disorder / imbalance.

It can arise in many TCM patterns, as exemplified in the case

history below. Classical TCM treatment addresses the complete

pattern, not just using points for the teeth / TMJ / jaw / stress.

 

See: http://acupuncturejournal.com/AJASple3.html

 

" Case 5: Chronic Insomnia: This 45-year-old woman presented with

a history of insomnia of 4 years duration dating from the shock and

grief of losing her husband in a motor vehicle accident. She was

only able to sleep 2 to 3 hours, then was awake the remainder of

the night. Various lifestyle modifications, herbal teas, etc., and

ongoing psychotherapy were ineffective at breaking the cycle. She

is also obese, has chronic sinus headaches, rhinorrhea, bruxism,

irregular menstruation, hot soles of her feet with pain at times, a

painful right eye associated with fatigue, and is under chronic work

related stress. She sought light therapy for help with the insomnia

and stress management. Her tongue revealed a midline crease and

swelling of the sides. Pulse was deficient in Liver and Kidney

positions.

 

Violet light was applied to ear point Zero, Shenmen, Master

Cerebral, Tranquilizer, Psychosomatic, Lung, Insomnia 1 and 2,

and body points Yintang, PC-7, HT-7, and LU-9 for a total of 4

treatments.

 

The night of the first treatment, she slept 8 hours, and woke

refreshed with her muscles feeling relaxed. Her sleep pattern

continued to improve, averaging a good night's sleep at least 5

nights per week. After the third treatment, she remembered a

dream for the first time in years. She also noted relief from the

chronic headaches and rhinorrhea.

 

This patient had several syndromes simultaneously as many

people do: Shen disturbance, yin deficiency, dampness and Liver

Qi depression. Appropriate light therapy to key points was able to

start bringing her back to a state of balance, give her substantial

relief, and improve her quality of life. It would have been interesting

to see how many of the seemingly unrelated symptoms would have

improved had she continued treatment. "

 

In contrast to Google, Medline has little on AP & bruxism. See

these Abstracts:

 

Romoli M, Ridi R, Giommi A. Electromyographic changes in

bruxism after auricular stimulation. A randomized controlled clinical

trial [Article in Italian]. Minerva Med. 2003 Aug;94(4 Suppl 1):9-15.

Federazione Italiana Societa di Agopuntura (F.I.S.A.), Prato.

markro AIM: The aim of this study was to verify in bruxism

patients the possible efficacy of auricular stimulation in reducing

the hypertonicity of some masticatory muscles. METHODS: 43

bruxism patients were randomly allocated to 3 groups: AP, needle

contact for 10 seconds, no treatment (control). Helkimo's clinical

dysfunction index (CDI) and anamnestic dysfunction index (ADI)

were used to assess the functional state of the masticatory

system. The resting electrical activity of the anterior temporalis

(AT), masseter (MM), digastric (DA) and sternocleidomastoid

(SCM) muscles was measured, according to Jankelson, with

surface electrodes at baseline, after stimulation and continually for

30 minutes (120 measurements in total). The electromyographical

variations in the 3 groups were studied with t test for independent

samples. RESULTS: AP and needle contact were superior to

control in reducing the muscle hypertonicity of all muscles except

SCM. In the comparison between AP and needle contact the

former showed better results only for the right TA and left DA (p =

0.000). CONCLUSION: In this study it was possible to measure the

efficacy of the stimulation of only one point or area, which is an

ideal model for research in AP. The auricular area we chose for

stimulation was never used before for the purpose of relaxing

masticatory muscles. AP and needle contact for 10 seconds

showed similar effects. Publication Types: Clinical Trial

Randomized Controlled Trial PMID: 15108607 [PubMed - indexed

for MEDLINE]

 

Magalhaes MH, Kawamura JY, Araujo LC. General and oral

characteristics in Rett syndrome. Spec Care Dentist. 2002 Jul-

Aug;22(4):147-50. Department of Oral Pathology, School of

Dentistry, University of Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil. mhcgmaga

Rett syndrome (RS) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized

by developmental arrest of parts of the brain. It is an X

chromosome-linked condition which affects females almost

exclusively. Recent reports have been generated concerning the

multidisciplinary management of individuals exhibiting Rett

syndrome. The aim of the present report was to provide an update

on the oral manifestations of the disorder. We evaluated the

general and oral characteristics of RS in 13 female patients. The

most frequent manifestations were stereotyped hand movements

and bruxism. The treatment we carried out included the use of

biteplanes and AP. PMID: 12449458 [PubMed - indexed

for MEDLINE]

 

Dahlstrom L. Conservative treatment methods in craniomandibular

disorder. Swed Dent J. 1992;16(6):217-30. Public Dental Service,

Molndal, Sweden. Conservative methods should be a basic

treatment principle in CMD. In spite of similar signs and

symptoms, the etiology may vary and treatment should, if possible,

be directed towards the cause, but the management may often just

be mitigating. Counselling may be crucial. Occlusal appliances of

different design obviously influence the muscular activity

significantly but equilibration may include a strong placebo effect.

While relaxation is incompletely investigated, biofeedback seem

possibly effective. The application of physical medicine procedures

is almost entirely empirically based. Experience from other areas

also motivates pharmacotherapy in CMD while intra-articular

injections seem reasonably well founded. Investigations of pain-

alleviating methods like TENS and AP, though sometimes

promising, are often uncontrolled. Manipulation, even if effective,

may not necessarily be a " disc recapturing " manoeuvre. The

results of conservative treatment for joint clicking seem

unpredictable and long-term results of treatment with repositioning

splints are not encouraging. A need for well-controlled, randomised

clinical studies in diagnostic subgroups and controls has been

expressed. Although most patients with CMD can be successfully

treated with different conservative methods, often with remarkably

similar results, other options must be considered for some.

Publication Types: Review Review, Academic PMID: 1481129

[PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

 

Goddard G, Karibe H, McNeill C, Villafuerte E. AP and sham AP

reduce muscle pain in myofascial pain patients. J Orofac Pain.

2002 Winter;16(1):71-6. Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Nippon

Dental University, Tokyo, Japan. goddard AIMS: To

compare the effectiveness of dry needling in classically recognized

AP points ( " AP " ) with dry needling in skin areas not recognized as

AP points ( " sham AP " ) in reducing masseter muscle pain in a

group of patients with myofascial pain of the jaw muscles.

METHODS: Eighteen patients were randomly assigned to 1 of 2

experimental groups: Ten patients received AP and 8 received

sham AP. A visual analog scale (VAS) was used to measure

changes in masseter muscle pain evoked by mechanical

stimulation of the masseter muscle before and after the

experiment. RESULTS: Both groups showed a statistically

significant reduction in VAS pain scores (P = .001). Seven out of

10 AP subjects had a 10 mm or greater VAS reduction in pain,

while 4 out of 8 of the sham AP subjects had that great a pain

reduction. There was no significant difference between the 2

groups. CONCLUSION: Both AP and sham AP reduced pain

evoked by mechanical stimulation of the masseter muscles in

myofascial pain patients. However, this reduction in pain was not

dependent on whether the needling was performed in standard AP

points or in other areas of the skin. These results suggest that pain

reduction resulting from a noxious stimulus (i.e., needling) may not

be specific to the location of the stimulus as predicted by the

classical AP literature. Publication Types: Clinical Trial

Randomized Controlled Trial

PMID: 11889662 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

 

McMillan AS, Nolan A, Kelly PJ. The efficacy of dry needling and

procaine in the treatment of myofascial pain in the jaw muscles. J

Orofac Pain. 1997 Fall;11(4):307-14. Department of Restorative

Dentistry, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, United

Kingdom. In patients with myofascial pain, painful trigger points are

often treated using dry needling and local anesthetic injections.

However, the therapeutic effect of these treatments has been

poorly quantified, and the mechanism underlying the effect is

poorly understood. In a randomized, double-blind, double-placebo

clinical trial, a pressure algometer was used to measure pain-

pressure thresholds in the masseter and temporalis muscles of 30

subjects aged 23 to 53 years with myofascial pain in the jaws,

before and after a series of dry needling treatments, local

anesthetic injections, and simulated dry needling and local

anesthetic treatments (treatment group A: Procaine + simulated

dry needling; treatment group B: dry needling + simulated local

anesthetic; control group C: simulated local anesthetic + simulated

dry needling). Subjects rated pain intensity and unpleasantness

using visual analogue scales, and the data were analyzed using

analysis of variance. Pain pressure thresholds increased slightly

after treatment, irrespective of the treatment modality. Pain

intensity and unpleasantness scores decreased significantly at the

end of treatment in all groups. There were no statistically

significant between-group differences in pain pressure thresholds

and visual analogue scale scores at the end of treatment. The

findings suggest that the general improvement in pain symptoms

was the result of nonspecific, placebo-related factors rather than a

true treatment effect. Thus, the therapeutic value of dry needling

and Procaine in the management of myofascial pain in the jaw

muscles is questionable. Publication Types: Clinical Trial

Randomized Controlled Trial PMID: 9656906 [PubMed - indexed for

MEDLINE]

 

Sugimoto K, Konda T, Shimahara M, Hyodo M, Kitade T. A clinical

study on SSP (silver spike point) electro-therapy combined with

splint therapy for temporo-mandibular joint dysfunction. AP

Electrother Res. 1995 Jan-Mar;20(1):7-13. Department of Oral

Surgery, Osaka Medical College, Japan. When the functional limits

of the muscles related to the temporo-mandibular joint and

adjacent tissue exceed their anatomical capability, pain,

crepitation, and functional abnormality appear as the main

complaints. Although the precise nature of the condition is

unknown, pain at the temporo-mandibular joint sometimes in

combination with muscular tension is assumed to be due to

compression of the myoneural mechanism. It is reported that

occlusal lifting using a splint enables the alleviation of this

muscular tension. On the other hand, there are only a few reports

on the usefulness of SSP therapy for Temporo-Mandibular Joint

Dysfunction. We studied the efficacy of SSP therapy combined

with splint therapy in 33 patients diagnosed as having Temporo-

Mandibular Joint Dysfunction who consulted our department

primarily due to pain, and report our findings below. Evaluation of

the results was conducted 2 weeks later. Very beneficial results

were seen in 6 cases. Beneficial results were seen in 7 cases.

Slightly beneficial results were seen in 18 cases, while there were

no changes found in 2 cases. When combined SSP and splint

therapies were conducted for Temporo-Mandibular Joint

Dysfunction, favorable results were seen in about 90% of the

cases. PMID: 7572330 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

 

McMillan AS, Blasberg B. Pain-pressure threshold in painful jaw

muscles following trigger point injection. J Orofac Pain. 1994

Fall;8(4):384-90. Department of Clinical Dental Sciences, Faculty

of Dentistry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.

Pain and tenderness at trigger points and referral sites may be

modified in subjects with myofascial pain in the head and neck

region by injecting local anesthetic into active trigger points, but

the effect of injection on jaw muscle pain-pressure thresholds has

not been measured. The mechanism by which trigger-point

injection affects muscle tenderness is also unclear and may be

related to the " hyper-stimulation analgesia " induced by stimulation

of an AP point. A pressure algometer was used before and after an

active trigger point injection in the masseter to measure the pain-

pressure threshold in the masseter and temporal muscles of 10

subjects with jaw muscle pain of myogenous origin. The pain-

pressure threshold in the masseter and temporal muscles was also

measured in a matched control group before and after an AP-point

injection in the masseter. The pain-pressure threshold was

significantly lower in myofascial pain subjects than in control

subjects at all recording sites. Pain-pressure thresholds increased

minimally in the masseter after trigger-point injection, whereas the

temporal region was relatively unaffected. In the control group, the

pain-pressure threshold increased significantly at all recording sites

in the masseter after AP-point injection. Although local anesthetic

injection acts peripherally at the painful site and centrally where

pain is sustained, pain-pressure thresholds were not dramatically

increased in myofascial pain subjects, in contrast to controls. This

suggests that in subjects with myofascial pain, there was

continued excitability in peripheral tissues and/or central neural

areas which may have contributed to the persistence of jaw muscle

tenderness. PMID: 7670426

[PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

 

List T. AP in the treatment of patients with craniomandibular

disorders. Comparative, longitudinal and methodological studies.

Swed Dent J Suppl. 1992;87:1-159. Department of Prosthetic

Dentistry, Faculty of Odontology, University of Goteborg, Sweden.

The aim of the thesis was to compare the short- and long-term

effects of AP and occlusal splint therapy in patients with

craniomandibular disorders (CMD). One hundred and ten patients,

23 males and 87 females, participated in the study. All patients

exhibited moderate or severe signs and symptoms of CMD and had

had pain for more than six months. The participants were randomly

assigned to three groups: AP, occlusal splint therapy or control.

Ten different subjective and/or clinical assessment variables were

used in the evaluation of the treatment effect. Immediately after

treatment, AP and occlusal splint therapy had reduced the

symptoms as compared with the control group which remained

essentially unchanged. AP gave better subjective results than

occlusal splint in the short-term. In the 12-month long-term follow-

up, 57% of the patients who received AP and 68% of the patients

who received occlusal splints benefitted subjectively and clinically

from the treatment. There were no statistically significant

differences between the two groups in any of the assessment

variables. Those patients who received various additional therapies

following AP and/or occlusal splints rarely responded favorably to

additional treatment. No serious adverse events or complications

were observed in the study. AP seems to have adverse events of a

more general nature whereas adverse events of the occlusal splint

seem to be more related to the orofacial region. The majority of the

patients responded positively to the comfort of both treatment

modes. In order to measure tenderness (pressure pain threshold,

PPT) more objectively, the usefulness of an algometer was

evaluated. A good reliability and validity was found for the

algometer in recording the PPT in the masticatory muscles. The

reliability was further improved by connection of a stopwatch to the

algometer so that the pressure rate could be kept within

acceptable limits. A moderate but statistically significant

correlation was found between PPT and clinical and subjective

variables. The algometer was sensitive enough to detect pre- and

post-treatment changes. A statistically significant reduction in

tenderness was found immediately after and at the 6-month follow-

up for both treatment modes. This series of studies showed that

AP gave results similar to those of occlusal splint therapy in

patients with primarily myogenic CMD symptoms over a 1-year

period. Publication Types: Clinical Trial Randomized Controlled

Trial PMID: 1492307 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

 

Jensen LB, Tallgren A, Troest T, Jensen SB. Effect of AP on

myogenic headache. Scand J Dent Res. 1977 Sep;85(6):456-70.

The purpose of the investigation was to study the effect of AP on

myogenic headache and to examine whether electromyographic

recordings of jaw muscle activity would provide objective evidence

of the effect of such treatment. In 21 dental students, 14 males and

seven females, with a history of 2--10 years of headache, AP was

performed unilaterally in the foot between the 4th and 5th

metatarsal bones (G 41). The needle was inserted to a depth of 10--

15 mm and moved continuously by hand for 15--20 min.

Electromyographic recordings of postural activity in the right and

left anterior temporal and masseter muscles were obtained in the

same sitting before, during and after AP treatment. In clinical

controls 24 h, 1 month and 4 months after the treatment, 12

subjects reported considerable improvement, two variable results,

and seven no change. The electromyographic recordings showed

an average decrease in postural activity during AP, particularly of

the temporalis muscles, and a further decrease after completed

treatment. However, marked individual variations in muscular

response were noted. The results indicate that AP treatment can

relieve headache, and that electromyographic recordings may

provide objective evidence of the effect of AP. PMID: 271343

[PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

 

 

Best regards,

 

Email: <

 

WORK : Teagasc, c/o 1 Esker Lawns, Lucan, Dublin, Ireland

Mobile: 353-; [in the Republic: 0]

 

HOME : 1 Esker Lawns, Lucan, Dublin, Ireland

Tel : 353-; [in the Republic: 0]

WWW : http://homepage.eircom.net/~progers/searchap.htm

 

Chinese Proverb: " Man who says it can't be done, should not interrupt man doing

it "

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Phil,

 

Not sure I get that one. But yes...it goes without saying that, not all

" teeth grinding " falls into the pattern of Liver Qi Stagnation.

 

I would always treat in accordance with the pattern presenting but usually

add CV 24 and Si 19 as local points.

 

Kind regards

 

Dermot

 

 

-

" " <

<Chinese Medicine >

Tuesday, October 19, 2004 3:24 PM

Re: Grinding teeth [bruxism]

 

 

>

> Hi All, & Hi Dermot

>

> Dermot wrote:

> > May, It usually manifests within the pattern of Lover Qi Stag, so

> > using LV03 and PC06 works well. I would also use CV24 and SI19

> > (both sides). Results are usually very good.

>

> Ummm ... Dermot, is Lover Qi Stag [a slip of the pen[is]?] the root

> cause of the " Seven Year Itch " ? ;-))

>

> Google has many hits oon AP & bruxism. See:

> http://www.yinyanghouse.com/chinesetheory/etiology-tmj.html

>

> Bruxism is a symptom/sign of an underlying disorder / imbalance.

> It can arise in many TCM patterns, as exemplified in the case

> history below. Classical TCM treatment addresses the complete

> pattern, not just using points for the teeth / TMJ / jaw / stress.

>

> See: http://acupuncturejournal.com/AJASple3.html

>

> " Case 5: Chronic Insomnia: This 45-year-old woman presented with

> a history of insomnia of 4 years duration dating from the shock and

> grief of losing her husband in a motor vehicle accident. She was

> only able to sleep 2 to 3 hours, then was awake the remainder of

> the night. Various lifestyle modifications, herbal teas, etc., and

> ongoing psychotherapy were ineffective at breaking the cycle. She

> is also obese, has chronic sinus headaches, rhinorrhea, bruxism,

> irregular menstruation, hot soles of her feet with pain at times, a

> painful right eye associated with fatigue, and is under chronic work

> related stress. She sought light therapy for help with the insomnia

> and stress management. Her tongue revealed a midline crease and

> swelling of the sides. Pulse was deficient in Liver and Kidney

> positions.

>

> Violet light was applied to ear point Zero, Shenmen, Master

> Cerebral, Tranquilizer, Psychosomatic, Lung, Insomnia 1 and 2,

> and body points Yintang, PC-7, HT-7, and LU-9 for a total of 4

> treatments.

>

> The night of the first treatment, she slept 8 hours, and woke

> refreshed with her muscles feeling relaxed. Her sleep pattern

> continued to improve, averaging a good night's sleep at least 5

> nights per week. After the third treatment, she remembered a

> dream for the first time in years. She also noted relief from the

> chronic headaches and rhinorrhea.

>

> This patient had several syndromes simultaneously as many

> people do: Shen disturbance, yin deficiency, dampness and Liver

> Qi depression. Appropriate light therapy to key points was able to

> start bringing her back to a state of balance, give her substantial

> relief, and improve her quality of life. It would have been interesting

> to see how many of the seemingly unrelated symptoms would have

> improved had she continued treatment. "

>

> In contrast to Google, Medline has little on AP & bruxism. See

> these Abstracts:

>

> Romoli M, Ridi R, Giommi A. Electromyographic changes in

> bruxism after auricular stimulation. A randomized controlled clinical

> trial [Article in Italian]. Minerva Med. 2003 Aug;94(4 Suppl 1):9-15.

> Federazione Italiana Societa di Agopuntura (F.I.S.A.), Prato.

> markro AIM: The aim of this study was to verify in bruxism

> patients the possible efficacy of auricular stimulation in reducing

> the hypertonicity of some masticatory muscles. METHODS: 43

> bruxism patients were randomly allocated to 3 groups: AP, needle

> contact for 10 seconds, no treatment (control). Helkimo's clinical

> dysfunction index (CDI) and anamnestic dysfunction index (ADI)

> were used to assess the functional state of the masticatory

> system. The resting electrical activity of the anterior temporalis

> (AT), masseter (MM), digastric (DA) and sternocleidomastoid

> (SCM) muscles was measured, according to Jankelson, with

> surface electrodes at baseline, after stimulation and continually for

> 30 minutes (120 measurements in total). The electromyographical

> variations in the 3 groups were studied with t test for independent

> samples. RESULTS: AP and needle contact were superior to

> control in reducing the muscle hypertonicity of all muscles except

> SCM. In the comparison between AP and needle contact the

> former showed better results only for the right TA and left DA (p =

> 0.000). CONCLUSION: In this study it was possible to measure the

> efficacy of the stimulation of only one point or area, which is an

> ideal model for research in AP. The auricular area we chose for

> stimulation was never used before for the purpose of relaxing

> masticatory muscles. AP and needle contact for 10 seconds

> showed similar effects. Publication Types: Clinical Trial

> Randomized Controlled Trial PMID: 15108607 [PubMed - indexed

> for MEDLINE]

>

> Magalhaes MH, Kawamura JY, Araujo LC. General and oral

> characteristics in Rett syndrome. Spec Care Dentist. 2002 Jul-

> Aug;22(4):147-50. Department of Oral Pathology, School of

> Dentistry, University of Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil. mhcgmaga

> Rett syndrome (RS) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized

> by developmental arrest of parts of the brain. It is an X

> chromosome-linked condition which affects females almost

> exclusively. Recent reports have been generated concerning the

> multidisciplinary management of individuals exhibiting Rett

> syndrome. The aim of the present report was to provide an update

> on the oral manifestations of the disorder. We evaluated the

> general and oral characteristics of RS in 13 female patients. The

> most frequent manifestations were stereotyped hand movements

> and bruxism. The treatment we carried out included the use of

> biteplanes and AP. PMID: 12449458 [PubMed - indexed

> for MEDLINE]

>

> Dahlstrom L. Conservative treatment methods in craniomandibular

> disorder. Swed Dent J. 1992;16(6):217-30. Public Dental Service,

> Molndal, Sweden. Conservative methods should be a basic

> treatment principle in CMD. In spite of similar signs and

> symptoms, the etiology may vary and treatment should, if possible,

> be directed towards the cause, but the management may often just

> be mitigating. Counselling may be crucial. Occlusal appliances of

> different design obviously influence the muscular activity

> significantly but equilibration may include a strong placebo effect.

> While relaxation is incompletely investigated, biofeedback seem

> possibly effective. The application of physical medicine procedures

> is almost entirely empirically based. Experience from other areas

> also motivates pharmacotherapy in CMD while intra-articular

> injections seem reasonably well founded. Investigations of pain-

> alleviating methods like TENS and AP, though sometimes

> promising, are often uncontrolled. Manipulation, even if effective,

> may not necessarily be a " disc recapturing " manoeuvre. The

> results of conservative treatment for joint clicking seem

> unpredictable and long-term results of treatment with repositioning

> splints are not encouraging. A need for well-controlled, randomised

> clinical studies in diagnostic subgroups and controls has been

> expressed. Although most patients with CMD can be successfully

> treated with different conservative methods, often with remarkably

> similar results, other options must be considered for some.

> Publication Types: Review Review, Academic PMID: 1481129

> [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

>

> Goddard G, Karibe H, McNeill C, Villafuerte E. AP and sham AP

> reduce muscle pain in myofascial pain patients. J Orofac Pain.

> 2002 Winter;16(1):71-6. Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Nippon

> Dental University, Tokyo, Japan. goddard AIMS: To

> compare the effectiveness of dry needling in classically recognized

> AP points ( " AP " ) with dry needling in skin areas not recognized as

> AP points ( " sham AP " ) in reducing masseter muscle pain in a

> group of patients with myofascial pain of the jaw muscles.

> METHODS: Eighteen patients were randomly assigned to 1 of 2

> experimental groups: Ten patients received AP and 8 received

> sham AP. A visual analog scale (VAS) was used to measure

> changes in masseter muscle pain evoked by mechanical

> stimulation of the masseter muscle before and after the

> experiment. RESULTS: Both groups showed a statistically

> significant reduction in VAS pain scores (P = .001). Seven out of

> 10 AP subjects had a 10 mm or greater VAS reduction in pain,

> while 4 out of 8 of the sham AP subjects had that great a pain

> reduction. There was no significant difference between the 2

> groups. CONCLUSION: Both AP and sham AP reduced pain

> evoked by mechanical stimulation of the masseter muscles in

> myofascial pain patients. However, this reduction in pain was not

> dependent on whether the needling was performed in standard AP

> points or in other areas of the skin. These results suggest that pain

> reduction resulting from a noxious stimulus (i.e., needling) may not

> be specific to the location of the stimulus as predicted by the

> classical AP literature. Publication Types: Clinical Trial

> Randomized Controlled Trial

> PMID: 11889662 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

>

> McMillan AS, Nolan A, Kelly PJ. The efficacy of dry needling and

> procaine in the treatment of myofascial pain in the jaw muscles. J

> Orofac Pain. 1997 Fall;11(4):307-14. Department of Restorative

> Dentistry, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, United

> Kingdom. In patients with myofascial pain, painful trigger points are

> often treated using dry needling and local anesthetic injections.

> However, the therapeutic effect of these treatments has been

> poorly quantified, and the mechanism underlying the effect is

> poorly understood. In a randomized, double-blind, double-placebo

> clinical trial, a pressure algometer was used to measure pain-

> pressure thresholds in the masseter and temporalis muscles of 30

> subjects aged 23 to 53 years with myofascial pain in the jaws,

> before and after a series of dry needling treatments, local

> anesthetic injections, and simulated dry needling and local

> anesthetic treatments (treatment group A: Procaine + simulated

> dry needling; treatment group B: dry needling + simulated local

> anesthetic; control group C: simulated local anesthetic + simulated

> dry needling). Subjects rated pain intensity and unpleasantness

> using visual analogue scales, and the data were analyzed using

> analysis of variance. Pain pressure thresholds increased slightly

> after treatment, irrespective of the treatment modality. Pain

> intensity and unpleasantness scores decreased significantly at the

> end of treatment in all groups. There were no statistically

> significant between-group differences in pain pressure thresholds

> and visual analogue scale scores at the end of treatment. The

> findings suggest that the general improvement in pain symptoms

> was the result of nonspecific, placebo-related factors rather than a

> true treatment effect. Thus, the therapeutic value of dry needling

> and Procaine in the management of myofascial pain in the jaw

> muscles is questionable. Publication Types: Clinical Trial

> Randomized Controlled Trial PMID: 9656906 [PubMed - indexed for

> MEDLINE]

>

> Sugimoto K, Konda T, Shimahara M, Hyodo M, Kitade T. A clinical

> study on SSP (silver spike point) electro-therapy combined with

> splint therapy for temporo-mandibular joint dysfunction. AP

> Electrother Res. 1995 Jan-Mar;20(1):7-13. Department of Oral

> Surgery, Osaka Medical College, Japan. When the functional limits

> of the muscles related to the temporo-mandibular joint and

> adjacent tissue exceed their anatomical capability, pain,

> crepitation, and functional abnormality appear as the main

> complaints. Although the precise nature of the condition is

> unknown, pain at the temporo-mandibular joint sometimes in

> combination with muscular tension is assumed to be due to

> compression of the myoneural mechanism. It is reported that

> occlusal lifting using a splint enables the alleviation of this

> muscular tension. On the other hand, there are only a few reports

> on the usefulness of SSP therapy for Temporo-Mandibular Joint

> Dysfunction. We studied the efficacy of SSP therapy combined

> with splint therapy in 33 patients diagnosed as having Temporo-

> Mandibular Joint Dysfunction who consulted our department

> primarily due to pain, and report our findings below. Evaluation of

> the results was conducted 2 weeks later. Very beneficial results

> were seen in 6 cases. Beneficial results were seen in 7 cases.

> Slightly beneficial results were seen in 18 cases, while there were

> no changes found in 2 cases. When combined SSP and splint

> therapies were conducted for Temporo-Mandibular Joint

> Dysfunction, favorable results were seen in about 90% of the

> cases. PMID: 7572330 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

>

> McMillan AS, Blasberg B. Pain-pressure threshold in painful jaw

> muscles following trigger point injection. J Orofac Pain. 1994

> Fall;8(4):384-90. Department of Clinical Dental Sciences, Faculty

> of Dentistry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.

> Pain and tenderness at trigger points and referral sites may be

> modified in subjects with myofascial pain in the head and neck

> region by injecting local anesthetic into active trigger points, but

> the effect of injection on jaw muscle pain-pressure thresholds has

> not been measured. The mechanism by which trigger-point

> injection affects muscle tenderness is also unclear and may be

> related to the " hyper-stimulation analgesia " induced by stimulation

> of an AP point. A pressure algometer was used before and after an

> active trigger point injection in the masseter to measure the pain-

> pressure threshold in the masseter and temporal muscles of 10

> subjects with jaw muscle pain of myogenous origin. The pain-

> pressure threshold in the masseter and temporal muscles was also

> measured in a matched control group before and after an AP-point

> injection in the masseter. The pain-pressure threshold was

> significantly lower in myofascial pain subjects than in control

> subjects at all recording sites. Pain-pressure thresholds increased

> minimally in the masseter after trigger-point injection, whereas the

> temporal region was relatively unaffected. In the control group, the

> pain-pressure threshold increased significantly at all recording sites

> in the masseter after AP-point injection. Although local anesthetic

> injection acts peripherally at the painful site and centrally where

> pain is sustained, pain-pressure thresholds were not dramatically

> increased in myofascial pain subjects, in contrast to controls. This

> suggests that in subjects with myofascial pain, there was

> continued excitability in peripheral tissues and/or central neural

> areas which may have contributed to the persistence of jaw muscle

> tenderness. PMID: 7670426

> [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

>

> List T. AP in the treatment of patients with craniomandibular

> disorders. Comparative, longitudinal and methodological studies.

> Swed Dent J Suppl. 1992;87:1-159. Department of Prosthetic

> Dentistry, Faculty of Odontology, University of Goteborg, Sweden.

> The aim of the thesis was to compare the short- and long-term

> effects of AP and occlusal splint therapy in patients with

> craniomandibular disorders (CMD). One hundred and ten patients,

> 23 males and 87 females, participated in the study. All patients

> exhibited moderate or severe signs and symptoms of CMD and had

> had pain for more than six months. The participants were randomly

> assigned to three groups: AP, occlusal splint therapy or control.

> Ten different subjective and/or clinical assessment variables were

> used in the evaluation of the treatment effect. Immediately after

> treatment, AP and occlusal splint therapy had reduced the

> symptoms as compared with the control group which remained

> essentially unchanged. AP gave better subjective results than

> occlusal splint in the short-term. In the 12-month long-term follow-

> up, 57% of the patients who received AP and 68% of the patients

> who received occlusal splints benefitted subjectively and clinically

> from the treatment. There were no statistically significant

> differences between the two groups in any of the assessment

> variables. Those patients who received various additional therapies

> following AP and/or occlusal splints rarely responded favorably to

> additional treatment. No serious adverse events or complications

> were observed in the study. AP seems to have adverse events of a

> more general nature whereas adverse events of the occlusal splint

> seem to be more related to the orofacial region. The majority of the

> patients responded positively to the comfort of both treatment

> modes. In order to measure tenderness (pressure pain threshold,

> PPT) more objectively, the usefulness of an algometer was

> evaluated. A good reliability and validity was found for the

> algometer in recording the PPT in the masticatory muscles. The

> reliability was further improved by connection of a stopwatch to the

> algometer so that the pressure rate could be kept within

> acceptable limits. A moderate but statistically significant

> correlation was found between PPT and clinical and subjective

> variables. The algometer was sensitive enough to detect pre- and

> post-treatment changes. A statistically significant reduction in

> tenderness was found immediately after and at the 6-month follow-

> up for both treatment modes. This series of studies showed that

> AP gave results similar to those of occlusal splint therapy in

> patients with primarily myogenic CMD symptoms over a 1-year

> period. Publication Types: Clinical Trial Randomized Controlled

> Trial PMID: 1492307 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

>

> Jensen LB, Tallgren A, Troest T, Jensen SB. Effect of AP on

> myogenic headache. Scand J Dent Res. 1977 Sep;85(6):456-70.

> The purpose of the investigation was to study the effect of AP on

> myogenic headache and to examine whether electromyographic

> recordings of jaw muscle activity would provide objective evidence

> of the effect of such treatment. In 21 dental students, 14 males and

> seven females, with a history of 2--10 years of headache, AP was

> performed unilaterally in the foot between the 4th and 5th

> metatarsal bones (G 41). The needle was inserted to a depth of 10--

> 15 mm and moved continuously by hand for 15--20 min.

> Electromyographic recordings of postural activity in the right and

> left anterior temporal and masseter muscles were obtained in the

> same sitting before, during and after AP treatment. In clinical

> controls 24 h, 1 month and 4 months after the treatment, 12

> subjects reported considerable improvement, two variable results,

> and seven no change. The electromyographic recordings showed

> an average decrease in postural activity during AP, particularly of

> the temporalis muscles, and a further decrease after completed

> treatment. However, marked individual variations in muscular

> response were noted. The results indicate that AP treatment can

> relieve headache, and that electromyographic recordings may

> provide objective evidence of the effect of AP. PMID: 271343

> [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

>

>

> Best regards,

>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I thought grinding teeth was to do with the Shen. As the mind isn't

settled, the teeth can grind together.

 

Attilio

 

Chinese Medicine , " Dermot

O'Connor " <dermot@a...> wrote:

>

> Hi Phil,

>

> Not sure I get that one. But yes...it goes without saying that,

not all

> " teeth grinding " falls into the pattern of Liver Qi Stagnation.

>

> I would always treat in accordance with the pattern presenting but

usually

> add CV 24 and Si 19 as local points.

>

> Kind regards

>

> Dermot

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Attilio et al,

>

> I thought grinding teeth was to do with the Shen. As the mind isn't

> settled, the teeth can grind together.

>

> Attilio

>

 

 

I personally had a grinding teeth problem which did not subside until

my " Shen " took a new course.

 

How to treat the Shen? Yesterday, a friend of mine came over because

she had problems breathing. I took her through some simple movement

and breathing exercises and then had her lie down. I then took a few

moments to " remove " cold qi from her body and placed my hands on her

abdomen (Hun) and her Lungs (Po) and rested my hands there until I

felt the tell-tale " wave of energy " moving from her Hun to her Po as

it passed through her Shen. And then she rested.

 

A couple of years ago I read this very fine article on the nature of

the Shen:

 

http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/archives2003/jan/01jiang.html

 

" If we are trying to determine which organ an emotion comes from, the

answer will always be the same: all emotions originate in the heart.

Chapter eight of the Su Wen states, " The heart holds the office of

monarch, whence the spirit light (shen ming) originates. " If we think

of this " spirit light " as consciouness, we can say that all emotions

originate from within our consciousness. ... So long as the heart and

tis consciousness are functioning normally, the emotions will remain

peaceful, live a well-governed country. But if the heart and

consciousness are disordered, any emotion can surface: not just joy,

but anger, sadness, pensiveness, fear; and so on, just like a country

at war. "

 

" Chapter 71 of the Ling Shu states, " The heart is the monarch of the

five zang and six fu, and houses the essential spirit (jing shen). " In

the Ming Dynasty classic Lei Jing, the physician Zhang Jie Bin

interpreted this to mean that while different emotions can _gravitate_

to different organs and damage them, all emotions _originate_ in the

hert and ultimately cause some damage to it. .. Because they [the

emotions] all originate with the heart, the heart is ultimately

damaged by them. For this reason, treatment of emotional problems must

always include the heart. "

 

" According to chapter eight of the Ling Shu, the liver often works

with the heart to generate emotions because " that which goes hither

and thither with the spirit is called the soul (hun). " Since the soul

is stored in the liver and the spirit is stored in the hear, these two

organs work together in the process of creating disordered emotional

states. "

 

Regards,

Rich

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dermot O'Connor wrote:

>

> Hi Phil,

>

> Not sure I get that one.

Hi Dermot!

 

You had written " Lover " instead of " Liver " , Phil had remarked on it. Get

it now?

 

Regards,

 

Pete

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes Pete....Freud would have something to say I'm sure

 

 

-

" Pete Theisen " <petet

<Chinese Medicine >

Wednesday, October 20, 2004 2:45 AM

Re: Re: Grinding teeth [bruxism]

 

 

>

>

> Dermot O'Connor wrote:

> >

> > Hi Phil,

> >

> > Not sure I get that one.

> Hi Dermot!

>

> You had written " Lover " instead of " Liver " , Phil had remarked on it. Get

> it now?

>

> Regards,

>

> Pete

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...