JORR
Journal of Orthopedics Research and Rehabilitation

The Journal of Orthopedics Research and Rehabilitation welcomes scholarly papers in orthopaedic surgery, physical therapy and rehabilitation, physiotherapy, neurology and clinic anesthesiology and reanimation.

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Original Article
Investigation of the effect of neck pain accompanying chronic temporomandibular joint pain on pain severity and pain catastrophizing
Abstract
Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of accompanying neck pain on pain intensity and pain catastrophizing in individuals with chronic temporomandibular disorders (TMD).
Methods: Twenty-two individuals diagnosed with chronic TMD participated in this comparative study. Participants were allocated into two groups: a TMD-only group (n=12) and a TMD with neck pain group (n=10). Pain intensity was assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), and pain catastrophizing was assessed using the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS). Data were analyzed using the Mann–Whitney U test, and statistical significance was set at p<0.05.
Results: No statistically significant differences were found between groups regarding pain intensity or pain catastrophizing (p>0.05). Participants with accompanying neck pain demonstrated higher median scores for activity-related pain and pain catastrophizing; however, these differences did not reach statistical significance. In addition, mandibular deviation was significantly more frequent in the TMD with neck pain group (p=0.036).
Conclusion: Although individuals with chronic TMD and accompanying neck pain tended to report higher pain intensity and pain catastrophizing scores, no statistically significant differences were observed between groups. These findings suggest that cervical symptoms may influence the clinical presentation of TMD, and further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to clarify these relationships.

Keywords : Temporomandibular joint disease, neck pain, pain assessment, pain catastrophizing, temporomandibular joint

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Ethical Statement

This study was approved by the Non-interventional Clinical Researches Ethics Committee at the Kırıkkale University (Date: 22.10.2025, Decision No: 2025.10.36).

Informed Consent

Written informed consent was obtained from all individual participants prior to their inclusion in the study. Participants were fully informed about the study’s aims, procedures, potential risks and benefits, and their rights—including the right to withdraw at any time without consequence. All participants voluntarily signed a written informed consent form.

Author Contributions

Concept: EG, ESE; Design: EG, ESE; Control: EG, ESE; Data Collection and/or Processing: EG; Analysis and/or Interpretation: EG, ESE; Literature Review: EG; Writing the Article: EG; Critical Review: ESE.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest related to this study.

Financial Disclosure

The authors received no financial support for the conduct or publication of this research.


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Article available in :
Volume 4, Issue 4, 2026
Page : 87-91
https://doi.org/10.51271/JORR-0078
Article Information
Received : 26 Haz 2026
Accepted : 06 Eyl 2026
Published : 28 Eki 2026
Corresponding Author :

Eray Gül: MIA Private Medical Center, Mia Life Center, Ankara, Turkiye

[email protected]
Citation : Gül E, Sakızlı Erdal E. Pain intensity and pain catastrophizing in individuals with chronic temporomandibular disorders with and without neck pain: a cross-sectional study. J Orthop Res Rehabil. 2026;4(4):87-91. doi:10.51271/JORR-0078

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