PHYSIOTHERAPY IN TEMPOROMANDIBULAR DISORDERS ASSOCIATED WITH TINNITUS:
A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW
Temporomandibular dysfunction, Tinnitus, Physical therapy modalities
Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is a broad term that involves different clinical conditions that affect the
temporomandibular joint (TMJ), masticatory muscles and adjacent structures. The main symptom of this
dysfunction is local or diffuse orofacial pain, however, otological symptoms may also be present. Among
otological symptoms, the most commonly associated with TMD is tinnitus. Objective: to evaluate the
effectiveness of physical therapy modalities in individuals diagnosed with TMD associated with tinnitus,
compared to other interventions, no treatment or placebo, in the intensity and impact of tinnitus; the
intensity of pain in the masticatory and cervical muscles; disability and quality of life. Methods: this study
will follow the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Protocols (PRISMA-p). Controlled and randomized clinical trials that performed some physical therapy
intervention with individuals over 18 years of age who have TMD associated with tinnitus will be included.
The systematic electronic search will be carried out in the following electronic databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE,
WEB OF SCIENCE, SCOPUS, PEDro and CENTRAL. There will be no restriction of language restrictions or
publication date. As a primary outcome, the intensity and impact of tinnitus will be assessed. The stages
of study selection, data extraction and risk of bias assessment will be carried out in pairs. The risk of bias
assessment will follow the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool and the level of evidence will be determined using
the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE). Expected results:
this systematic review is intended to identify, evaluate and summarize the current evidence on the
effectiveness of physical therapy modalities in individuals with TMD associated with tinnitus.
Thus, favoring the understanding and applicability of these interventions to clinicians, in addition to
support future research on this matter.