Aspectos fisiológicos e termográficos de protocolos terapêuticos para DTM muscular

Abstract

The objective was to apply infrared thermography for monitoring of physiological rehabilitation protocols DTM therapeutic muscle, such as thermotherapy with moist heat, Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and laser therapy applied in the masseter and temporal region of patients compromised. An experimental study was carried out in vivo double-blind. The sample was composed for convenience, with an average of 30 patients diagnosed with muscle or joint TMD through analysis of axes I and II of the RDC/TMD who agreed to participate in the therapy for pain relief and functional readaptation. The patients were divided into three groups: Group therapeutic Thermotherapy (TT): application of moist heat for 20 min; TENS Group (TS): electrical neural stimulation, with 115Hz frequency, pulse width 150ụs, bilateral, for 40 min; Lllt Group (LT): application of low intensity laser (780nm, 100mW) with dose of 4J per point. All the therapies were directed to the masseter and anterior temporal region, according to the facial mask Guide made for each patient. Patients were monitored by examination of infrared Thermography in lateral standard before, immediately, and after 30 min of applying the therapeutic Protocol. Analyses of thermal images were made by FLIR Reporter software v. 8.5. The data analyzed statistically showed normality by the Shapiro-wilk test, and thermal averages compared by repeated samples and ANOVA Bonferroni post test (α = 0.05). Thermal modifications were observed in the images of thermotherapy (p < 0.05), with around 1.8° C, and rehabilitation after 30 min. Therapeutic protocols HAVE not changed the Level and the local temperature of the masseter and temporal muscles previous analyses. It is concluded that depending on the mechanism of action of each source of energy transferred to the muscle tissue changes immediate thermal will not be detected.