Using magnetic stimulation to treat jaw joint disorders

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This study investigates the efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) as a treatment for temporomandibular disorders (TMD), which are painful conditions affecting the jaw joint and surrounding muscles. Participants will receive either active rTMS or a sham treatment to assess the impact on their chronic pain symptoms. The study aims to address the complex nature of TMD, particularly in patients who have not responded to conventional therapies. By exploring neuroplastic changes induced by chronic pain, the research seeks to provide a novel therapeutic approach for managing TMD.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion Criteria:

* Individuals of both sexes, literate, aged over 18 years with the diagnosis of muscular and/or joint TMD by the Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (DC-TMD).
* Pain duration longer than 6 months.
* Intensity of orofacial pain greater than 5 on the visual analogue scale (VAS).

Exclusion Criteria:

* Volunteers who present verbal communication impairment due to a neurological disorder, a sequel to a previous illness, or a psychiatric condition.
* Pregnant women
* Individuals with any impediment to MRI: having a pacemaker or implantable defibrillator, cochlear implant, ferromagnetic aneurysm clips, electrodes used for deep brain stimulation, ocular implants, Swan-Ganz catheter, orthopedic prostheses or metallic bodies close to the area of interest.
* Individuals with any contraindication for transcranial magnetic stimulation: have focal or generalized encephalopathies, increased intracranial pressure, and severe heart disease; history of head trauma, epilepsy, and individuals with first-degree relatives diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy; use of drugs that lower the seizure threshold (tricyclic antidepressants and antipsychotics); chronic use of alcohol or epileptogenic drugs.

Where it's running

• University of Coimbra
  Coimbra, Portugal Recruiting

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Catarina Duarte, PhD — ICNAS - Institute of Nuclear Sciences Applied to Health
• Study coordinator: Miguel Castelo-Branco
• Email: mcbranco@fmed.uc.pt
• Phone: +351 239 488510

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How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.