title: The reporting of pain, somatic complaints, and anxiety in a group of patients with TMD before and 2 years after treatment: sex differences.
abstract: The aim of this study was to assess possible gender differences regarding the reporting of pain, somatic complaints, and anxiety in a group of patients suffering from temporomandibular disorders (TMD). The group consisted of 40 females and 13 males who received conservative TMD treatment comprising counseling, muscle exercises, and a stabilization splint. Before and 2 years after treatment, the patients answered three questionnaires (McGill Pain Questionnaire [Norwegian version] including a six-point scale, the Present Pain Intensity; a Somatic Complaints Questionnaire; and the trait part of Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Before treatment, females reported greater present pain intensity than did males. Two years after treatment, females reported less sensory and emotional pain than at the initial stage; males presented no reduction in these pain scores. There were no gender differences at either stage regarding somatic complaints or anxiety level scores.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthetic Dentistry and Stomatognathic Physiology, University of Oslo Faculty of Dentistry, Norway.
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Krogstad
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jokstad
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Dahl
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Vassend
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D005157:Facial Pain / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017090:Occlusal Splints; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010147:Pain Measurement; D012737:Sex Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013706:Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction Syndrome / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy