Presented at the 2012 AAPM Annual Meeting « Back

Timing Pattern of Masseter Muscle Activity During the Open-Close-Clench Cycle in Women with Tension Type Headaches and Migraine Headaches Without Aura

Boshra Hatef, Phd Student of Physiotherapy, boshrahatef@yahoo.com, Tehran University, Tehran, Iran

Introduction: The objective was to assess the effect of type of headache on the timing pattern of the masseter muscle during the open–close–clench (OCC) cycle in two stages of pain-free and painful times. In addition, relation of intensity and chronicity of headache with masseter activity and tempromandibular joint sound was investigated. Methods: Thirty-five patients participated in two stages of the study. There were 17 subjects with MWA and 12 subjects with TTH in the first stage (pain-free time), and 7 subjects with MWA and 9 subjects with TTH in the second stage (painful time). Then, matched control subjects were included. The subjects completed the OCC cycles with 80 cycles per minute. Two separated records, which had durations of 15 seconds with 3-minute intervals, were taken from both sides. Results: Comparison of the synchronized signal of motion in the sagittal plane and the electromyographic (EMG) record of masseter muscle demonstrated the early onset in the TTH and MWA patients (P<0.05) in both stage. Correlation analysis showed a significant weak positive association between the headache frequency and onset latency, and a negative correlation between the pain intensity and duration. Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) with sound were seen more in patients who had more chronic headache. Malocclusion had a booster effect on this relation. Conclusions: The findings in this study indicate that the timing of masseter activity was affected by chronic headache. So we may be able to predict some TMJ dysfunction following headache, especially TTH. References: 1)4. Jensen R, Fuglsang-Frederiksen A, Olesen J: Quantitative surface EMG of pericranial muscles in headache. A population study. Encephaography and Clinical Neurophysiology 1994, 93:335-344 2)7. Burnett CA, Fartash L, Murray B, Lamey PJ: Masseter and temporalis muscle EMG levels and bite force in migraineurs. Headache 2000, 40:813-817 3)11. Murno R.R: Electromyography of the masseter and anterior temporalis muscles in the OCC cycle in temporomandibular joint dysfunction. Monographs in oral science 1975, 4:117-125 4)24. Griffin CJ, Munro RR: Electromyography of the jaw-closing muscles in the open-close-clench cycle in man. Archives of oral biology 1969, 14:141-149 5)29. Sabashi K, Saitoh I, Hayasaki H, Iwase Y, Kondo S, Inada E, Takemoto Y, Yamada C, Yamasaki Y. A cross-sectional study of developing resting masseter activity in different angle classifications in adolescence. Cranio. 2009, 27(1):39-45

Funding: Tehran University