Orofacial Pain and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

PTSD is a form to pathological response to stress in wich the patients are in a state of permanent increased tension. As a result of increased motor activity and neurotransmitter's disorder marked manifestations of orofacial pain can be expected. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of orofacial pain among a group of Croatian War veterans with PTSD. A group of 94 male subjects (x=35.56± 6.12 ; range 25-52) who had participated in the War and had PTSD was examined. The control group comprised 100 subjects of the same sex and age who hadn't participated in the war and hadn't PTSD. The study was performed by means of a questionaire. Results: Eightynine per cent of the PTSD group reported pain in the facial area compared to no one of the healthy subject (Chi-Square 62, 89 ; p<0.0000). The most frequent symptom was headache (74, 5%). Face pain was present in 40, 4 %, muscle pain were present in 44, 7% of the PTSD group. The mean duration of pain was 4, 23± 2, 92 years. Pain most frequently appear few time a week (59, 6%), and last hours (70, 2%). The average intensity was 6, 21± 2, 82 shown on a 0-10 scale. 40% of the PTSD group reported pain in the facial area compared to no one of the healthy subject (Chi-Square 22.56 ; p<0.0001). The greatest difference is related to headaches (78% PTSD group, 4% control group ; Chi-Square 53.58 ; p<0.0001). Fifty-four per cent of the PTSD group had pain during temporomandibular joint palpation and 94% had pain at one or more muscle site compared to 2% (Chi-Square 33.53 ; p<0.0001) and to 48% of the control group (Chi-Square 23.51, p<0.0001). Conclusion: High presence of orofacial pain in exameenes with PTSD and statistically significant difference compare to healthy control group confirms the important role of war stress on pain perception.