SYMPTOM REPORT IN OROFACIAL PAIN PATIENTS - RELATION TO CHRONIC PAIN, EXPERIMENTAL PAIN, ILLNESS BEHAVIOR, AND PERSONALITY

A study was conducted to determine symptom report patterns in a heterogenous population of orofacial pain patients and to evaluate how symptom patterns relate to various dimensions of the human pain experience. Results indicated that symptoms frequently associated with chronic orofacial pain disorders can be described by four indices related to the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and its movement; discomfort of and parafunctional activities related to the masticatory muscles; interference of pain with activities of daily living; and presence of orofacial pain unrelated to myogenous or arthrogenous TMJ disorders. Of these four symptom indices, only the pain interference (symptom) index was related to clinical pain and illness behavior. None was related to personality. Two of the indices were influenced by diagnosis. Biomechanical symptoms and parafunctional activities appear to be insignificantly related to perceived pain intensity, pain responsiveness, illness behavior, or personality, but are related to diagnosis. The results indicated that relatively simple symptom checklists have potential utility in screening orofacial pain patients and in evaluation of treatment outcome.