Masticatory muscle injections of liquid collagen solution is an alternative therapy for myofascial pain, often the first aid in pain ailments. Muscles of mastication: masseter muscle, temporal muscle and lateral pterygoid muscle are often painful in temporomandibular disorders (TMD) patients, especially bruxers. As the effect of muscle effort a PEMS (post effort muscle soreness) develops and if left untreated chronic myofascial pain may develop, with severe consequences for the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and the whole stomatognathic system.
Injection therapy is, together with counseling and self-management, the first aid in muscle pain. It complements other therapeutic methods that should not be abandoned in TMD therapy. Intramuscular administration of collagen solution into the muscle trigger points reduces superficial electromyographic activity EMG, as well as subjective pain (Visual Analogue Scale – VAS) felt by the patient. After initial palpation of muscles and TMD examination, the injection should be performed by a specialist, paying special attention to anatomical structures and their mutual topography. Intramuscular injections, as well as perifascial and intraarticular administration of collagen solution are used to diminish pain in stomatognathic system.
Alternative therapy with collagen injections using new, innovative solutions seems to be a new trend in the development of medicine around the world. No side effects, easy availability of the preparation and fully reversible action are the great advantages of intramuscular collagen injections.