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Pressure pain threshold of the cervico‐facial muscles in healthy elderly people: the role of gender, age and dominance
Author(s) -
De Rui Marina,
Marini Ida,
Bartolucci Maria Lavinia,
Inelmen Emine Meral,
Bortolotti Francesco,
Manzato Enzo,
Gatto Maria Rosaria Antonella,
Checchi Luigi,
Sergi Giuseppe
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
gerodontology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1741-2358
pISSN - 0734-0664
DOI - 10.1111/ger.12117
Subject(s) - medicine , ageing , facial muscles , threshold of pain , nociception , age groups , audiology , physical therapy , physical medicine and rehabilitation , anesthesia , anatomy , demography , receptor , sociology
Objective The aim of this study was to assess the impact of age on pressure pain threshold ( PPT ) of cervico‐facial muscles in healthy geriatric subjects and to investigate the role of gender and dominance on nociception. Background Musculo‐skeletal pain is common in the elderly, but being subjective, it risks to be underdiagnosed and undertreated. A useful method for assessment of local pain is determining PPT through pressure algometry. Ageing process seems to increase PPT s, but reference values for the assessment of pain in geriatric subjects are lacking. Methods In this study, PPT s in temporal muscle, masseter, sternocleidomastoid, occipital and splenius capitis of 97 healthy elderly subjects were measured using F ischer algometer. Participants were divided by age in four classes (years 65–69; 70–74; 75–79; ≥80). Results Women had lower PPT s in all muscles compared with men. Comparing PPT s obtained from the right and the left side, no significant differences were recorded neither in men nor in women. When dividing subjects by age class and education, in both genders no significant differences were observed in PPT s among the groups, neither in the right nor in the left sides. Conclusion In conclusion, the present study reports reference PPT values for the cervico‐facial muscles that can be applied to a population of healthy elderly subjects. After 65 years of age, further ageing does not influence PPT s in cervico‐facial muscles whereas female gender has lower PPT s.