Psychosomatic Symptoms in Patients With Myofascial Pain and Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (Psychosomatic)

March 16, 2026 updated by: Dr Rida Zulfiqar, Bahria University

Psychosomatic Symptoms in Patients With Myofascial Pain and Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction- A Case Control Study

Temporomandibular joint disorder poses an intricate etiology. Biomechanical, neuromuscular and psychosocial factors may contribute to the disorder among which psychological and psychosocial disturbances have shown strong direct or indirect contribution to the disease especially when the pain is of muscular origin.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are defined as the group of musculoskeletal and neuromuscular conditions that involves temporomandibular joint (TMJ), masticatory muscles, and their associated structures (1). Clinically, TMDs are characterized by jaw pain, mandibular movement limitation, joint sounds, and often referred pain in the head, neck, or shoulders region (2). The myofascial pain, a subtype of TMD, is most prevalent condition and it accounts for approximately 50% of all TMD cases in clinical settings (3). Although it's a prevalent condition, but its complex aetiology makes it difficult to diagnose (4).

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

300

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact Backup

  • Name: Arsalan Khalid, BDS
  • Phone Number: +923323110793

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Temporomandibular joint dysfunction patient

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

diagnosed patients with myofascial pain and TMD for at least six months based on Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD), Axis I, age between 20 and 60 years, literate and able to comprehend the questionnaire no prior psychological treatment for pain.

Exclusion Criteria:

age <20 or >60 years, low literacy (less than five years of formal education), history of major psychiatric or neurological disorders, diagnosed joint pathologies (e.g., arthritis, disc displacement with reduction), history of migraine or facial trauma, drug dependency and pregnancy or current use of psychotropic medication.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Intervention / Treatment
Case
A total of 300 participants aged between 20 and 60 years were recruited using survivor sampling, consisting of 150 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of myofascial pain and temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD) and 150 age- and gender-matched healthy controls
Other: Casr
case study participants
Control
A total of 300 participants aged between 20 and 60 years were recruited using survivor sampling, consisting of 150 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of myofascial pain and temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD) and 150 age- and gender-matched healthy controls
Other: Casr
case study participants

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Psychosomatic symptom burden
Time Frame: 2 months
Psychosomatic symptom burden is defined as the overall severity and frequency of physical symptoms that are influenced or maintained by psychological factors. It will be assessed using a validated self-report questionnaire that captures multiple somatic symptom domains (e.g., pain, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and fatigue-related symptoms). Higher scores indicate a greater psychosomatic symptom burden.
2 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Bahria University

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Rida Zulfiqar, Bahria University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

  • 1. Szarejko KD, Gołębiewska M, Lukomska-Szymanska M, Kuć J. Stress experience, depression and neck disability in patients with temporomandibular disorder-myofascial pain with referral. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2023;12(5):1988. 2. Kuć J, Szarejko KD, Maciejczyk M, Dymicka-Piekarska V, Żendzian-Piotrowska M, Zalewska A. Oxidative imbalance as a co-player in jaw functional limitations and biopsychosocial profile in patients with temporomandibular disorder-Myofascial pain with referral. Frontiers in Neurology. 2025;15:1509845. 3. Gomes AKP, Ximenes TA, Fonseca APR, de Barros Silva PG, Magalhães IA, da Silva Rodrigues AK, et al. Relationship between temporomandibular joint dysfunctions and psychosomatic factors. Revista Eletrônica Acervo Saúde. 2024;24(5):e16019-e. 4. Syroishko M, Kostiuk T. Dysfunction of the temporomandibular joints associated with post-traumatic stress disorders in patients. Reports of Vinnytsia National Medical University. 2023;27(2):253-7. 5. Matos M, Thumati P, Sutter B, Ruiz-Velasco G, Goldberg J, Booth J, et al. Are Temporomandibular Disorders Really Somatic Symptom Disorders? Part II-Joint Vibration Analysis of the Temporomandibular Joint. Advanced Dental Technologies & Techniques. 2021. 6. Patil DJ, Dheer DS, Puri G, Konidena A, Dixit A, Gupta R. Psychological appraisal in temporomandibular disorders: A cross-sectional study. Indian Journal of pain. 2016;30(1):13-8. 7. Canales GDLT, Guarda-Nardini L, Rizzatti-Barbosa CM, Conti PCR, Manfredini D. Distribution of depression, somatization and pain-related impairment in patients with chronic temporomandibular disorders. Journal of Applied Oral Science. 2019;27:e20180210. 8. Urits I, Charipova K, Gress K, Schaaf AL, Gupta S, Kiernan HC, et al. Treatment and management of myofascial pain syndrome. Best Practice & Research Clinical Anaesthesiology. 2020;34(3):427-48. 9. Cao Q-W, Peng B-G, Wang L, Huang Y-Q, Jia D-L, Jiang H, et al. Expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of myofascial pai
  • Szarejko KD, Golebiewska M, Lukomska-Szymanska M, Kuc J. Stress Experience, Depression and Neck Disability in Patients with Temporomandibular Disorder-Myofascial Pain with Referral. J Clin Med. 2023 Mar 2;12(5):1988. doi: 10.3390/jcm12051988.

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

March 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

June 30, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

August 30, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

December 11, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 29, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

February 4, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

March 18, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 16, 2026

Last Verified

March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 17/2023
  • bahria university (Other Identifier: bahria university)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Sharing Time Frame

jan 2026-Dec2026

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • ICF
  • CSR

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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