BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Orofacial pain is associated to soft and mineralized oral cavity and facial tissues. In dentistry, it may have or not odontogenic origin. Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is the most common musculoskeletal orofacial pain and presents characteristic symptoms such as masticatory muscles pain, jaw movement limitation, joint noises, earache and tinnitus. Tinnitus is a term describing the perception of sound by human ears in the absence of external sounds and causes discomfort impairing quality of life. It may be a symptom indicating TMD especially when other symptoms are present, such as facial muscles pain. Due to etiologic variability, there are several therapeutic modalities, including acupuncture. This study aimed at reporting a case of a patient with orofacial pain and tinnitus treated with acupuncture and the results after treatment. CASE REPORT: Female patient, 32 years old, came to the Acupuncture Clinic of the School of Dentistry of Piracicaba (FOP/UNICAMP) complaining of facial muscle pain and pricking at the same side, acute right ear tinnitus, already with diagnosis of left ear hearing loss and with sleep disorders and stress. Patient was treated according to her energetic unbalance with 6 sessions of traditional acupuncture, for one week, lasting 20 minutes. To evaluate orofacial pain and tinnitus intensity, the visual analog scale (VAS) was used and was called initial VAS (pre-treatment) and final VAS (post-treatment). After the second session there has been improvement in orofacial pain and tinnitus symptoms. After the sixth session tinnitus had resolved. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture has induced muscle relaxation with benefits for masticatory and middle ear (tensor tympani) muscles, as well as levator palate muscle decreasing orofacial pain and tinnitus intensity.
Acupuncture therapy; Meridians; Orofacial pain; Tinnitus
