TMD is often associated with both physical pain and psychological symptoms, particularly anxiety. Pain and anxiety can influence each other, creating a cycle that exacerbates symptoms. Bio-photobiomodulation (PBM) laser auriculotherapy has been proposed as a treatment to address both pain and anxiety in TMD patients. However, the correlation between pain and anxiety after PBM treatment remains poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate whether PBM laser auriculotherapy can alter the relationship between pain and anxiety in TMD patients.

The study aimed to evaluate the correlation between pain and anxiety symptoms in TMD patients after PBM laser auriculotherapy.

This randomized, controlled crossover trial involved 22 TMD patients assigned to either the Experimental Group (EG) or Placebo Group (PG). PBM treatment was administered twice a week for 4 weeks. The EG received active PBM treatment, while the PG received sham treatment. Pain was assessed using the Chronic Pain Disability Scale (CPDS), and anxiety was evaluated using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7). Data were analyzed using Spearman’s correlation test.

In the PG, there was a significant positive correlation between pain and anxiety symptoms (r = 0.67, p = 0.01). In contrast, no significant correlation was observed in the EG (r = 0.34, p = 0.12).

The results suggest that PBM laser auriculotherapy may reduce the correlation between pain and anxiety in TMD patients. The significant correlation in the placebo group supports this possibility, but further research is needed to confirm these findings.

These findings indicate that PBM laser auriculotherapy might help break the cycle of pain and anxiety in TMD patients. Additional studies are necessary to confirm the efficacy of PBM in managing both pain and anxiety.