The pain-relieving effect of indomethacin phonophoresis on temporomand
ibular (TMJ) joint pain was evaluated in a double-blind, placebo-contr
olled clinical trial. Twenty subjects, who have TMJ pain, were include
d for this study and randomly assigned to either the experimental grou
p (n = 10) or the control group (n = 10), Each treatment consisted of
the application of ultrasound massage (1.0 MHz, 0.8 to 1.5 W/cm(2) con
tinuous output) for 15 minutes to the painful temporomandibular joint,
As a conducting medium, 1% indomethacin cream was used for the experi
mental group and placebo cream for the control group respectively. Pre
- and post-treatment pain levels and pain sensitivity were assessed wi
th visual analogue scales (VAS) and pressure pain threshold (PPT), Mea
n data indicated that posttreatment VAS was significantly decreased an
d post-treatment PPT was significantly increased in the experimental g
roup, not in the control group, The results of this study suggest that
indomethacin phonophoresis provides significant pain relieving effect
over the TMJ pain.