Motion style acupuncture treatment for traumatic temporomandibular disorder: A case report

Rationale: Traumatic temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) tends to persist longer than nontraumatic TMD, and conventional treatments show limited effectiveness in such cases. Motion style acupuncture treatment (MSAT), which induces active or passive movement after insertion of acupuncture needles at the affected sites, may help alleviate pain and improve mandibular movement. However, its application to traumatic TMD unresponsive to prior treatments has rarely been reported, and no case has objectively demonstrated its effects using radiologic findings. Patient concerns: A patient presented with persistent right temporomandibular joint pain and clicking following a motor vehicle collision, which were unresponsive to previous treatment. Diagnoses: The patient was diagnosed with traumatic TMD secondary to the motor vehicle collision, with clinically suspected disc displacement with reduction and concomitant local myalgia. Interventions: The patient underwent 6 sessions of MSAT. Outcomes: Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), maximal mouth opening, and lateral radiography were performed before and after treatment. Pain during mandibular movement decreased from NRS 8 to 1, and resting pain decreased from NRS 7 to 1. Clicking resolved after the 5th session. Maximal mouth opening increased from 25 mm at baseline to 60 mm after the final session. Lateral radiography demonstrated a change in the distance between the articular eminence and the condylar head from 3.43 to 4.81 mm. The patient also reported reduced subjective discomfort. Lessons: The patient demonstrated improvements in both subjective and objective outcomes, suggesting that MSAT may have potential as a treatment option for traumatic TMD. However, as this is a single case report and long-term follow-up was not available to assess the durability of treatment effects or symptom recurrence, further prospective studies are needed to evaluate its efficacy and safety.