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Shamanic Healing for Women With Temporomandibular Joint Disorders (TMDs)
This study has been completed.
Sponsored by: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
Information provided by: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00071474
  Purpose

This is a Phase I study to examine the feasibility and safety of shamanic (spiritual) healing for treating temporomandibular joint disorders (TMDs).


Condition Intervention Phase
Temporomandibular Disorders
Procedure: shamanic healing
Phase I

MedlinePlus related topics: Joint Disorders Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction
U.S. FDA Resources
Study Type: Interventional
Study Design: Treatment, Non-Randomized, Open Label, Uncontrolled, Single Group Assignment, Safety Study

Further study details as provided by National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM):

Estimated Enrollment: 25
Study Start Date: August 2003
Estimated Study Completion Date: May 2005
Detailed Description:

Traditional systems of healing, such as shamanism, do not readily lend themselves to conventional research methods, yet studying their effectiveness is especially germane in the case of chronic conditions that involve an emotional component and that elude allopathic treatment regimens. Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMDs), which affect up to 10% of the adult population, are a prime example of such conditions. Traditional treatment outcomes for TMD pain are often unsatisfactory. Moreover, in women age 25-55 (the age-sex group most affected), TMD is often found in association with depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, gastrointestinal symptoms, frequent infection,and fibromyalgia. Because these multiple and complex symptoms suggest a loss of spirit or life energy, they may be particularly susceptible to treatment by shamanic (spiritual) healing, which aims to bring disturbed physical, mental, and emotional systems into balance. This phase I study will develop methods to evaluate shamanic healing as an intervention for TMD and will evaluate the feasibility of conducting randomized clinical trials of shamanic healing.

  Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:   25 Years to 55 Years
Genders Eligible for Study:   Female
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:   Yes
Criteria

Inclusion criteria:

  • Females Age 25-55
  • TMD Research Diagnosis Criteria (RDC) clinical diagnosis of myofacial pain with or without disc displacement, arthralgia, arthritis, or arthosis
  • Three or more significant systemic conditions, e.g. depression, fibromyalgia, GI or reproductive disturbances, upper respiratory problems, etc. in the preceding 2 years.

Exclusion criteria:

  • Diagnosed organic or medication induced major mental illness (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar)
  • Other neurological diagnoses (epilepsy, Parkinsons)
  • Pregnancy
  Contacts and Locations
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00071474

Locations
United States, Oregon
Center for Health Research, Northwest
Portland, Oregon, United States
Sponsors and Collaborators
Investigators
Principal Investigator: Nancy Vuckovic, MD Center for Health Research, Northwest
  More Information

Study ID Numbers: R21 AT000951-01A2
Study First Received: October 23, 2003
Last Updated: January 22, 2007
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00071474  
Health Authority: United States: Federal Government

Keywords provided by National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM):
temporomandibular disroders
shamanism
chronic pain

Study placed in the following topic categories:
Temporomandibular Joint Disorders
Muscular Diseases
Musculoskeletal Diseases
Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction Syndrome
Myofascial Pain Syndromes
Fibromyalgia
Craniomandibular Disorders
Joint Diseases
Pain
Stomatognathic Diseases

Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Mandibular Diseases
Pathologic Processes
Disease
Jaw Diseases

ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on January 16, 2009