Temporomandibular joint related painless symptoms, orofacial pain, neck pain, headache, and psychosocial factors among non-patients.
The aims of this study were to assess the prevalence of temporomandibular joint related (TMJ) painless symptoms, orofacial pain, neck pain, and headache in a Finnish working population and to evaluate the association of the symptoms with psychosocial factors. A self-administered postal questionnaire concerning items on demographic background, employment details, perceived general state of health, medication, psychosocial status, and use of health-care services, was mailed to all employees with at least 5 years at their current job. The questionnaire was completed by 1339 subjects (75%). Frequent (often or continual) TMJ-related painless symptoms were found in 10%, orofacial pain in 7%, neck pain in 39%, and headache in 15% of subjects. Females reported all pain symptoms significantly more often than men (P < 0.001). Frequent pain and TMJ-related symptoms were significantly associated with self-reported stress, depression, and somatization (P < 0.001). Perceived poor general state of health (P < 0.001), health care visits (P < 0.001), overload at work (P < 0.001), life satisfaction (P < 0.05), and work satisfaction (P < 0.05) were also significantly associated with pain symptoms, but the work duty was not (P > 0.05). Our findings are in accordance with earlier studies and confirm the strong relationship between neck pain, headache, orofacial pain. TMJ-related painless symptoms, and psychosocial factors. Furthermore, TMJ-related symptoms and painful conditions seem to be more associated with work-related psychosocial factors than with type of work itself.
Department of Stomatognathic Physiology and Prosthetic Dentistry, Institute of Dentistry, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. mikko.rantala@helsinki.fi
Mikko A I
MA
Rantala
Jari
J
Ahlberg
Tuija I
TI
Suvinen
Maunu
M
Nissinen
Harri
H
Lindholm
Aslak
A
Savolainen
Mauno
M
Könönen
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D005157:Facial Pain / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000523:psychology; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000523:psychology; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000523:psychology*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications; D013706:Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction Syndrome / Q000523:psychology*; D016526:Workload