Participants
Temporomandibular Disorders, cancer, infectious odontogenic diseases, head and neck regions, pain, orofacial pain, ’ masseter muscle
TEMPOROMANDIBULAR DISORDERS, CANCER, TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA, VASCULAR DISEASES, BLOOD DYSCRASIAS
Sample size was calculated based on data obtained in a pilot test with a mean ΔTSI% = 2 (primary outcome) and standard deviation=3. With an α=0.05 and β=0.20, the ideal sample size totals 24 participants, considering a design effect=1.25. Sample collection ended when the required number of individuals was reached for the main variable of interest (tissue oxygenation).Myogenous TMD was diagnosed by a dentist who specialized in orofacial pain using the Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (DC/TMD)To investigate the presence of MTP in patients’ masseter muscle, the following criteria were used during clinical palpations: the presence of a palpable taut band in the masseter muscle; the presence of a hypersensitive point within the taut band; and the replication of pain symptoms of patients with referred pain caused by trigger point.To be included in this study, participants also had to be at least 24 hours off any analgesics or anti-inflammatory drugs.Individuals aged under 18 years; pregnant women; people with vascular diseases, blood dyscrasias, trigeminal neuralgia, history of infectious odontogenic diseases in the previous 30 days, and/or history of cancer or radiotherapy in their head and neck regions; and those in the experimental group who failed to attend the two sessions were excluded from this study. Participants who refused to follow method procedures for specific variables were excluded from that specific analysis.For sample selection, 163 university students were initially screened (