title: Somatosensory sensitivity in patients with persistent idiopathic orofacial pain is associated with pain relief from hypnosis and relaxation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In a recent study hypnosis has been found to relieve persistent idiopathic orofacial pain. Quantitative sensory testing (QST) is widely used to evaluate somatosensory sensitivity, which has been suggested as a possible predictor of management outcome. The objectives of this study were to examine: (1) possible associations between clinical pain relief and baseline somatosensory sensitivity and (2) the effect of hypnosis management on QST parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-one patients with persistent idiopathic orofacial pain completed this randomized controlled study in 1 of 2 groups: hypnosis (hypnotic analgesia suggestions) or control (relaxation). QST at 2 intraoral (pain region and contralateral mirror image region) and 3 extraoral (hand and both cheeks) sites was performed at baseline and after the hypnosis/control management, together with pressure pain thresholds and pressure pain tolerance thresholds determined bilaterally at the masseter and temporalis muscles, the temporomandibular joints, and the third finger.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Degree of pain relief was negatively correlated with a summary statistic of baseline somatosensory sensitivity (summed z-score), that is, high baseline somatosensory sensitivity was associated with low pain relief (r=-0.372, P=0.020). Hypnosis had no major effect on any QST measure compared with relaxation (P>0.063).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High pain sensitivity at baseline may predict poor pain management outcome. In addition, despite clear clinical pain relief, hypnosis did not significantly or specifically influence somatosensory sensitivity. Future studies should further explore QST measures as possible predictors of different management response in orofacial pain conditions.
authors: Aalborg Municipality Dentistry, Aalborg, Denmark. lene.hansen@odontologi.au.dk
authors: Lene
authors: L
authors: Baad-Hansen
authors: Randi
authors: R
authors: Abrahamsen
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Zachariae
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: List
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Svensson
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005157:Facial Pain / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006930:Hyperalgesia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D006990:Hypnosis; D008297:Male; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000502:physiology*; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D012064:Relaxation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome