Cervical Muscle Tenderness in Temporomandibular Disorders and Its Associations with Diagnosis, Disease-Related Outcomes, and Comorbid Pain Conditions.

Aims: To analyze cervical tenderness scores (CTS) in patients with various temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and in controls and to examine associations of CTS with demographic and clinical parameters.

Methods: This case-control study included 192 TMD patients and 99 controls diagnosed based on a questionnaire and a clinical examination following the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) guidelines. CTS, adapted from the widely used total tenderness score, was the mean sum of the palpation scores from the suboccipital, sternocleidomastoid, and trapezius muscles.

Muscle tenderness score in temporomandibular disorders patients: A case-control study.

Background: The total tenderness score (TTS) is commonly used in headache practice and contributes valuable information.

Objective: To assess muscle tenderness scores in patients diagnosed with Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and analyse their associations with various demographic and clinical parameters.

Methods: Masticatory (MTS), cervical (CTS) and TTSs were analysed in this case-control study among 192 TMD patients and 99 controls.