This review of the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture in treating temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD) included 32 RCTs. The findings suggest potential benefits for acupuncture compared with both active and inactive controls. However none of the studies were at low risk of bias and the certainty of the evidence was rated as very low to low. Consequently the findings should be interpreted cautiously.
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This review included 8 RCTs with some evidence to show that manual therapy improves pain and maximum mouth opening in patients with TMD. However, the limited number of studies and the heterogeneity of the interventions require further studies with standardised evaluations and better study designs.
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This systematic review examines the effectiveness of manual therapy and exercise on adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder) a common cause of shoulder pain and stiffness.
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Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), also known as juvenile chronic arthritis and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis affects a range of joints. The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) can be the first and only affected joint. In the UK about 1 and 2 in every 10,000 children develop JIA each year. The prevalence of TMJ involvement in JIA patients ranges [read the full story…]
Have you ever had a painful shoulder? Did it get better on its own? I have a friend, not another Elf, who had bilateral frozen shoulders. It was a most functionally limiting and painful problem. Fortunately intra-articular steroid injections saved the day and made a huge difference to both pain and function. If you have [read the full story…]
Can you imagine how frustrating for patients it must be to wait for a surgical consultation only to be told you don’t need surgery and then be sent away. Then enter the Advanced Physiotherapy Practitioner whose roles beyond those of a regular physiotherapist include activities traditionally the role of medical staff such as; screening patients [read the full story…]
Did you know that Saturday 8th September is World Physiotherapy Day? The day is an opportunity for physiotherapists (physical therapists) from all over the world to raise awareness about the crucial contribution the profession makes to keeping people well, mobile and independent. Evidence shows that people who stay active are more likely to keep working, [read the full story…]
Physical therapy (PT) is recognised as a conservative method for the management of temporomandibular disorders (TMD). However, some studies suggest that physical therapy provides minimal, if any therapeutic effect while others suggest evidence to support its use for the treatment of TMD. The aim of this trial was to investigate the effect of physical therapy [read the full story…]
