This clinical study aimed to evaluate the effect of acupuncture therapy on pain associated with TMJ muscular disorder. A total of 15 participants, aged between 14 and 50 years, who experienced pain around the TMJ without any radiographic abnormalities, were included. The selected acupoints—Ting Hui, Ting Gong, Ermen, Fengchi, Baihui, and He Gu—were targeted using sterile 32-gauge, ½-inch stainless steel needles, which were manually inserted to depths ranging from 3 to 7 millimeters. The needles were stimulated with alternating clockwise and counterclockwise rotations for 30 seconds at 10-minute intervals during three treatment sessions before being removed. The therapy was performed once a week for six months. Pain intensity was measured using the visual analog scale, and statistical analysis was performed using repeated ANOVA and post hoc tests (Bonferroni). The findings showed a reduction in pain scores by 2 units after three months and 4.13 units following 6 months of acupuncture treatment. At the end of the treatment period, TMJ muscular pain had significantly decreased, and mouth opening had improved to near-normal levels.
