Craniofacial Pain and Motor Function: Pathogenesis, Clinical Correlates, and Implications

Abstract

Many structural, behavioral, and pharmacological interventions imply that favorable treatment effects in musculoskeletal pain states are mediated through the correction of muscle function. The common theme of these interventions is captured in the popular idea that structural or psychological factors cause muscle hyperactivity, muscle overwork, muscle fatigue, and ultimately pain. Although symptoms and signs of motor dysfunction can sometimes be explained by changes in structure, there is strong evidence that they can also be caused by pain. This new understanding has resulted in a better appreciation of the pathogenesis of symptoms and signs of the musculoskeletal pain conditions, including the sequence of events that leads to the development of motor dysfunction. With the improved understanding of the relationship between pain and motor function, including the inappropriateness of many clinical assumptions, a new literature emerges that opens the door to exciting therapeutic opportunities. Novel treatments are expected to have a profound impact on the care of musculoskeletal pain and its effect on motor function in the not-too-distant future.