Orofacial Pain Self-management: Personality Moderation Effect

"This intervention will implement a self-management protocol. It will consist in 5 strategy levels: educational concepts and dynamics, cognitive behavioural tools and processes, therapeutic exercise of the orofacial region, guidelines and strategies for lifestyle modification and mindbody tools.~Several of the above 5 strategies will be employed in each session. Education will include TMD concepts, pain neurophysiology, contextualisation of pain in terms of perceived stress, anxiety and others. Exercises will aim to train motor control, strength and mobility. Cognitive behavioural tools will be used to modulate pain relationship through behaviour modification. Processes such as cognitive distraction, gradual exposure to movement or the scheduling of self-care activities will be used. Mindbody strategies such as relaxation exercises and pain acceptance will seek to reduce the patient's frustration with pain. Structured guidelines will be included to achieve desirable lifestyle changes."

"Following the guidelines, 5 sessions of education, cognitive behavioural tools, jaw exercises and manual therapy will be conducted.~The educational sessions will teach about TMD and basic pain concepts. A single type of cognitive behavioural tool will be employed. The aim will be to decrease bruxing and parafunctional activity during wakefulness. This will be done by training the jaw relaxation position, which will then be generalised to activities of daily living with the help of some conditioning through positive and negative reinforcement. Exercise activities will aim to train motor control, strength and mobility. Manual therapy will be carried out in the orofacial region by means of soft tissue techniques and joint mobilisation."