• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
• /
• v.48 no.4
• /
• pp.137-143
• /
• 2023

Purpose: To assess Google Trends (GT) search behavior regarding orofacial pain (OFP) and headaches. Methods: GT scores for OFP and headache specialists between February 2013 and December 2022 were analyzed. Statistical tests such as Poisson regression analyses, mean differences, and Cohen's D were used to assess the score change over time. Results: The top three search words for OFP specialists were "temporomandibular joint (TMJ) specialist," "TMJ doctor," and "TMJ dentist," whereas the top three search words for headache specialists were "Headache specialist," "Headache doctor," and "Migraine specialist." Here, TMJ is temporomandibular joint. The GT scores for OFP specialists increased significantly (p<0.05) for all years except 2017, with the highest mean difference in 2020. The scores for headache specialists showed similar trends but gradually. Conclusions: The interest in OFP and headache specialists expressed by Google searches has increased over the years. More awareness is needed regarding the OFP scope of practice, and the use of GT may serve as an indicator.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
• /
• v.34 no.4
• /
• pp.397-407
• /
• 2009

The aim of the study was to evaluate psychosocial impact of non-dental chronic orofacial pain (OFP) on daily living using the graded chronic pain (GCP) scale. It is also investigated the clinical profile such as demographics, event related to initiation of OFP and prior treatments for patients. During previous 6 months since September 2008, 572 patients (M:F=1:1.5, mean age=34.7 years) with non-dental OFP attended university-based specialist orofacial pain clinic (Dankook University Dental Hospital, Cheonan) to seek care although 63% of them already experienced related treatment for their OFP problem. They visited the most frequently general dental practitioner and orthopedic doctors due to their pain problem and medication was the most commonly employed modality. Most of the patients (89.2%) had TMD and the most common related event to initiation of their pain was trauma, followed by dental treatment. Almost half of the patients (46%) suffered from chronic pain(${\geq}6\;M$) and 40% of them exhibited relatively high disability due to chronic OFP. GCP pain intensity and disability days were significantly different for age and diagnosis (p<0.05) but not for gender and duration. GCP grades were affected by all the factors including gender, age, pain duration and diagnosis.(p=0.000) Female gender, elders, and long lasting pain were closely related to high disability. The patients with neuropathic Pain and mixed OFP rather than TMD were graded as being highly disabled. Conclusively, a considerable percentage of chronic OFP patients reports high pain-related disability in their daily, social and work activity, which suggest a need for psychosocial support and importance of earlier referral for appropriate diagnosis and tailored management.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.407-408
• /
• 2013

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.217-225
• /
• 2009

As Pain is a comprehensive, biopsy chosocial phenomenon, improved understanding and successful management of pain need assessment of health-related quality of life and psychological states. The purpose of this study was to evaluate pain severity and pain-related interference to daily lives for patients with non-dental, orofacial pain(OFP) and a possible relation of OFP with psychological morbidity. Relation with such factors as gender, age, pain duration and diagnosis was also assessed. Inclusion criteria was all new patients with non-dental OFP attending the oral medicine.orofacial pain clinic of Dankook University Dental Hospital over 3 months' period, who completed the questionnaires of the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Prior to the first consultation, the patients were asked to fill out the questionnaire in the waiting room and were diagnosed through consultation and clinical examination. Total subjects were 163 with M:F ratio of 1:1.5 and mean age of 34.6${\pm}$17.7 years. Mean duration of pain was 13.3${\pm}$26.2 months and all patients were divided into; Trigeminal Neuralgia group (TN, N=8), Neuropathic Pain group (NeP, N=9), Persistent Idiopathic Facial Pain group (PIFP, N=8), and Temporomandibular Disorders group (TMD, N=138), subdivided into muscle problem (TMD-m, N=73), joint problem (TMD-j, N=24) and muscle-joint combined problem (TMD-c, N=41). OFP patients showed moderate pain severity and moderate pain-related interference. There was no gender difference in overall pain severity and interference and levels of anxiety and depression. Elderly patients aged ${\geq}$ 60 years showed higher pain severity (p<0.05). Patients with chronic pain ${\geq}$ 3 months reported more increased level of anxiety and depression than those with acute pain (p<0.05). Compared to TMD patients, patients with TN, NeP and PIFP suffered from higher level of pain and pain-related interference and reported higher level of anxiety and depression (p<0.05). Pain interference was closely correlated with their pain severity and with psychometric properties such as anxiety and depression. Pain severity was weakly correlated with levels of anxiety and depression. The results suggest a need for psychosocial assessment and support for successful management of OFP in addition to control of pain itself.