Overview
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if brief mindfulness-based intervention (BMBI) is beneficial to participants suffering from painful temporomandibular disorders (TMD). The objectives of the research are:
- To compare physical functioning (pain intensity and jaw function) in UM students with chronic pain-related TMD before and after receiving BMBI
- To compare psychological distress and mindfulness state in UM students with chronic pain-related TMD before and after receiving BMBI
- To compare the quality of life of UM students with chronic pain-related TMD before and after receiving BMBI
- To compare the changes in physical functioning, psychological distress, mindfulness state and quality of life between UM students in the intervention (BMBI) and the control groups.
Participants will:
Listen to the audio recordings 3 times a week, for 3 months when they are about to sleep.
Make 4 visits to the clinic: Baseline, 2 weeks, 1 month and 3 months later.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
- Students attending Universiti Malaya
- Able to read and understand English.
- Willing and able to give informed consent.
- Score 3 and above on the TMD-PS, for at least 3 months.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Hearing impairment.
- Currently on psychiatric follow up and/or taking psychotropic prescriptions (antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, stimulants, antipsychotics, and mood stabilizers).
- Experience with activities similar to the intervention such as meditation, yoga or tai chi.
- Currently practicing some form of mindfulness meditation.
- History of orofacial trauma, craniofacial pathology, and previous orofacial surgeries (including orthognathic and TMJ)
- Systemic rheumatic, neurologic/neuropathic, endocrine (e.g., diabetes mellitus) or immune / autoimmune diseases or widespread pain or being treated with immunosuppressant drugs
- Non-TMD orofacial pain disorders
- Radiation treatment to head and neck.
- Use of narcotic pain medication, muscle relaxants or steroid therapy unless discontinued 1 week before enrolment to study
- Use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications unless the medication(s) were discontinued for 3 days prior to enrolment (use of acetaminophen is allowed as a rescue drug)
- Currently on antibiotics or taken antibiotics within the last 2 weeks prior to start of study
- Currently pregnant or lactating women