The Usefulness of the Pressure Algometer in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Orofacial Pain Patients: A Systematic Review.
Agata Kamińska, Bartosz Dalewski, Ewa Sobolewska
PMID 32684869WHAT IT FOUND
Pressure algometry should not be used alone to diagnose orofacial pain.
Across the included studies, results were too inconsistent and often unreliable, so clinicians should combine it with other assessment.
Key findings
01Pressure algometry should not be the only way to diagnose orofacial pain.
02The studies were too inconsistent to combine into a pooled result.
03Algometry showed mixed reliability across studies of 4403 adults and 30 children.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The included studies used different algometers, pressure increase rates, measurement points, and timing, so their results could not be pooled. Risk of bias was generally low to unclear, with allocation concealment often at high risk. The review excluded non-English studies, animal studies, medication studies, and receptor-interaction studies. The conclusion rests on narrative comparison rather than a meta-analysis.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that pressure algometry can diagnose orofacial pain by itself. The review found the test was not efficient and should not be the only diagnosis, and the studies were too inconsistent to support a standard result.