Effects of an intraoral device (IOD) on electromyographic activity on the masseter and temporal muscles in Class III patients.

OBJECTIVE: Class III malocclusion is characterized by a loss of vertical dimension associated with muscle imbalance. The present study was designed to determine electromyographic amplitude changes in temporal (T) and masseter (M) at rest and during clenching in Class III patients treated with an intraoral device (IOD) over a 24-hour period for 30 days with transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). METHODS: Twelve patients with Class III (mean age 27.7 ± 1.2 years) were treated with TENS and IOD. Ten untreated patients composed the control group. Data were analyzed using Wilcoxon test and ANOVA. RESULTS: Patients treated with TENS and IOD showed a marked decrease in hyperactivity of M and T at rest (p = 0.001) and an increase during clenching (p = 0.001). The control group maintained similar activity in both positions. CONCLUSION: This study confirms that using TENS and IOD in patients improves muscle activity of T and M.

Assessment of pelvic floor muscles in women with deep endometriosis.

PURPOSE: To assess function and prevalence of spasms and trigger points of the pelvic floor muscles in women with deep endometriosis. METHODS: One hundred and four (104) patients were assessed. Group 1 (G1) was composed of 52 subjects diagnosed with deep endometriosis proven by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); Group 2 (G2) was composed of 52 women with no signs of endometriosis. Subjects from both G1 and G2 were seen at the Division of Pelvic Pain and Endometriosis and at Center for Prevention of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, both at Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), respectively. A full physical therapy evaluation was carried out, including medical history, presence of dyspareunia and physical examination, which included detailed evaluation of pelvic floor muscles and occurrence of muscle spasm, trigger point and muscle function. RESULTS: The average age of the subjects in the study group was 36.4 and 30.9 years in the control group (p = 0.002). A greater prevalence of deep dyspareunia was found in the subjects in the endometriosis group when compared to the control group (p = 0.010). Women in G1 had higher prevalence of muscle spasms. In this group, 53.9 % had spasms-compared to only 17.3 % of women in G2 (p < 0.001). On the other hand, no significant difference between the groups (p = 0.153) was found while searching for the presence of trigger points. CONCLUSION: Women with deep endometriosis have increased prevalence of pelvic floor muscle spasms when compared to the control group.

Estudio controlado, doble ciego, randomizado, multicéntrico, para evaluar la eficacia de la combinación fija tiocolchicósido más diclofenaco potásico en contracturas / Multicentered, randomized, double-blind and controlled study for the evaluation of efficacy of a set combination of thiocolchicoside plus potasium diclofenac in spams

Objetivo: determinar la eficacia y la tolerabilidad de la combinación a dosis fija, en una sola tableta, de tiocolchicósido 4 mg más diclofenaco potásico 50 mg en la reducción de la contractura muscular aguda estriada dolorosa comparado contra placebo y el uso de paracetamol tabletas de 500 mg como medicación de rescate. Métodos: fueron reclutados 97 pacientes de 2 ciudades ecuatorianas, Quito y Guayaquil, en tres centros de investigación, públicos y privados, con cervicalgia, dorsalgia y lumbalgia, principalmente de causa funcional. Los pacientes fueron asignados al azar en dos grupos: 1) grupo medicación activa, tiocolchicósido más diclofenaco potásico, 50 pacientes, 2) grupo placebo 47 pacientes. La eficacia en ambos grupos se evaluó por la reducción de la contractura muscular apreciada por inspección, palpación y reducción del dolor medido por una escala visual análoga, después de 5 días de tratamiento. Resultados: la evolución del grado de contractura muscular en el grupo medicación activa por evaluación visual pasó de un 100 por ciento con contractura visible con o sin actividad antiálgica fija a 96 por ciento sin signos visibles de contractura; de un 82 por ciento de contractura moderada a severa con o sin dolor evocado por palpación a un 74 por ciento de contractura leve sin dolor y 26 por ciento de ausencia de contractura. El promedio de dolor según la escala visual análoga disminuyó de 6,66 cm antes del tratamiento a 0,86 cm al finalizar el quinto día de tratamiento. Los efectos adversos fueron leves en el grupo tratado. Conclusiones: la combinación fija de tiocolchicósido 4 mg más diclofenaco potásico 50 mg en una sola tableta, administrado dos veces al día, es eficaz en el manejo de la contractura muscular aguda dolorosa de diversa etiología de manera estadísticamente significativa, bien tolerada y no altera el rendimiento psicomotor(AU)

Objective: to determine the efficacy and tolerability of a combination at a set dose in a single tablet of thiocolchicoside 4 mg plus potassium diclofenac 50 mg in the reduction of painful acute muscle spasm compared with the placebo and the use of 500 mg paracetamol as rescue medication. Methods: ninety seven patients from two Ecuador cities, named Quito and Guayaquil, were recruited in three research centers, both public and private. They suffered cervical pain, low back pain and dorsal pain, mainly of functional cause. The patients were randomly assigned in two groups 1) active medication group with 50 patients treated with thiocolchicoside plus potassium diclofenac and 2) placebo group with 47 patients. The efficacy of both groups was evaluated by the reduction of muscle spams observed in checking, palpation and pain reduction measured in an analogue visual scale after 5 days of treatment. Results: the progress of the muscle spasm degree in the active medication group according to visual evaluation went from 100 percent with visible spasm with or without fixed antialgic activity to 96 percent with no visible signs of spasm; from 82 percent of moderate spasm to severe with or without evoked pain by palpation to 74 percent of mild spasm without pain and 26 percent of spasm-free muscle. The pain average according to the visual scale decreased from 6.66 cm before treatment to 0,86 cm after the 5th day. The adverse effects were mild in t he treated group. Conclusions: the fixed combination of thiocolchicoside 4mg plus potassium diclofenac 50 mg in a single tablet, administered two times a day is efficacious in the painful acute muscle spasm of diverse etiology in a statistically significant way, well-tolerated and with no alteration of the psychomotor performance(AU)