Avaliação eletromiográfica em pacientes com cefaleia do tipo tensional submetidos a terapia com biofeedback. Electromyographic evaluation of patients suffering of tension-type headaches treated with bio- feedback therapy

Introduction: Parafunctional dental clenching or bruxism may be related to clinical cases of Temporomandibular Di- sorders (TMD), an etiological factor which sustains the disease of paramount importance. Objective: The aim of this study was to develop a protocol of myofeedback therapy and evaluate its application in patients with orofacial pain of muscular origin triggered by parafunctional dental clenching. Methods: A total of 10 female patients were submitted to the anamnesis and the intra and extra oral clinical exam, followed by filling in a Clinical Index of Fonseca (1994), which classified 50% of patients with moderate dysfunction and 50% severe. It was applied the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) to measure pain intensity and performed the evaluation of electromyographic activity of masseter muscle during clenching (maximum voluntary contraction), at dental contact and at rest, in an initial period, after therapy by myo- feedback and 30 days of follow-up. Results: The results obtained at the end of treatment and after 30 days of moni- toring demonstrated that the patients had reduced levels of pain in 100% of the individuals and an increase in elec- tromyographic activity of masseter muscle in 80% of the cases. Conclusion: It was shown that the myofeedback the- rapy can reduce the painful symptoms and also interfere with muscle activity, contributing to an improvement in the overall clinical picture presented by patients with orofacial pain occasioned by dental clenching.