Acupuncture has long-lasting positive effects on the symptoms of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction, according to researchers at Hannover Medical School in Germany. They undertook a secondary analysis of data from a randomised trial in which 96 patients aged 18 to 65, with frequent chronic or episodic tension headaches were assigned to one of four groups: acupuncture, therapeutic exercise (cardio, strength and endurance training), a combination of both, or usual care. Treatment lasted six weeks, with follow-up at three and six months.
At the three month point, all three intervention groups showed improvements compared with the usual care group. After six months however, only the acupuncture group maintained a significant improvement compared with the control group. The authors speculate at length on the interplay between TMJ dysfunction and tension headaches.
(Effects on temporomandibular disorder in the treatment of tension-type headache with acupuncture and therapeutic exercises. A secondary analysis from a randomized controlled trial. Clinical Rehabilitation, February 2024.)