Aural symptoms in temporomandibular disorder patients attending a craniofacial pain unit

Aims: To determine (1) the prevalence of aural symptoms in orofacial pain p atients and (2) a potential association between temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and aural health, while controlling for covariates known to be assoc iated with TMD or auditory dysfunction. Methods: In a retrospective study, health questionnaires, medical histories, clinical findings, diagnoses, and treatments were systematically retrieved from the charts of 776 patients. The dates of initial assessment ranged from May 1987 to June 1999. Of the i ncluded subjects, 39.7% were female; the median age was 39 years; 16.4% dis played only aural symptoms (otalgia, tinnitus, vertigo, or perceived hearin g loss); 26.4% had both TMD and aural symptoms; 17.8% had TMD but no aural complaints; and 39.4% had neither TMD nor aural symptoms. Results: Of the 3 44 subjects who had TMD, 59.9% complained of aural symptoms, versus 29.2% o f the 432 patients without TMD. Of the subjects with otalgia, tinnitus, ver tigo, or perceived hearing loss, 67%, 64.1%, 62.2% had TMD, respectively. S ubjects with aural symptoms were significantly more likely to be female; to consider themselves in poor health; to smoke; or to have TMD, orofacial pa in, headaches (temporal, occipital, or frontal), neck and shoulder pain, al tered vision and sensation, sleep disturbances, loss of appetite, memory lo ss, or low energy. Clinical findings indicated that pathognomonic signs of TMD were associated with an increased risk of aural complaints in this pati ent population. A significantly greater negative impact on normal life func tions was found in subjects exhibiting aural symptoms versus those who only had TMD complaints. Conclusion: These findings indicate that TMD is signif icantly correlated to aural health, although no cause-and-effect relationsh ip has yet been demonstrated. Aural symptoms were also found to have a meas urable impact on the subjects' quality of life.