Medical hypnosis for temporomandibular disorders: Treatment efficacy and medical utilization outcome

Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a particular behavioral medicine treatment modality, medical hypnosis, on reducing the pain symptoms of temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Methods: Twenty-eight patients who were recalcitrant to conservative treatment for TMD participated in a medical hypnosis treatment program and completed measures of their pain symptoms on 4 separate occasions: during wait list, before treatment, after treatment, and at a 6-month follow-up. In addition, pretreatment and posttreatment medical use were examined. Results: Statistical analysis of this open trial suggests that medical hypnosis is a potentially valuable treatment modality for TMD. Patients reported a significant decrease in pain frequency (F [3, 87] = 14.79, P