Antinociceptive Efficacy of Shamanic Healing for the Management of Temporomandibular Disorders: An Evidence-Based Review.
Atheer Ganem, P Emile Rossouw, Dimitrios Michelogiannakis, Fawad Javed
Journal of Religion and Health April 1, 2024 DOI: 10.1007/s10943-023-01844-1 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 3 |
| Population | Females with temporomandibular disorders, mean age 38.3 years |
| Intervention | shamanic healing |
| Duration | 9-month follow-up |
| Topics | Shamanism |
| Keywords | Disc displacement disorders Healing Inflammation Pain Temporomandibular disorders Temporomandibular joint |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | Shamanic healing significantly reduced self-rated TMD pain scores at 9-month follow-up in one study, and patients reported improved quality of life across all included studies. |
Abstract
The aim of this evidence-based review was to assess the antinociceptive efficacy of shamanic healing (SH) for management of temporomandibular disorders (TMD). The addressed focused question was "Is SH effective for the management of TMD?" Indexed databases were searched without time and language restrictions up to and including January 2023 using the following keywords: "disc displacement disorders"; "healing"; "inflammation"; "pain"; "shamanic"; "therapy"; "temporomandibular joint"; "temporomandibular disorders" and "temporomandibular joint disorders". Clinical studies were considered eligible for inclusion. Editorials, case-reports, case-series and commentaries were excluded. Literature search was performed in accordance with the guidelines of the preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis. Pattern of this evidence-based review was customized to summarize the pertinent information. In the present review, three studies were included and processed for data extraction. All participants were females with a mean age of 38.3 ± 8.3 years (range 25-55 years). Self-rated pain was assessed before application of SH (baseline) and after 9 months of follow-up. In one study, SH significantly reduced self-rated TMD pain scores (P < 0.001) at 9-months' follow-up interview. In all studies patients reported that management of TMD via SH helped improve their quality of life. In one study patients perceived improvements in sleep, energy levels, digestion, and back pain at follow-up. In another study patients reported that they felt "calmer" and "at peace" at follow-up interview. The possible contribution of SH for managing pain among TMD patients warrants additional research. There is a dire need for well-designed and power-adjusted randomized clinical trials with adequate groups and long-term follow-up.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on shamanism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scoping review on shamanistic trances practices. | 2024 | Systematic review | |
| Shamanism as a Clinical Intervention: A Scoping Review | 2025 | Systematic review | |
| Comprehensive Literature Review: Transpersonal Psychology, Transpersonal Psychotherapy, and Transpersonal Hypnotherapy (1960s–2026) | 2026 | Systematic review | |
| Ethnomedicinal and Shamanism in Bhotia Tribes Bhotia tribes in Uttarakhand's trans-Himalayan valleys | 2023 | Systematic review |
Citations in the library
Cites 14
- Hallucinogenic Drugs and Plants in Psychotherapy and Shamanism Journal of Psychoactive Drugs December 1, 1998
- Healing, spirituality and integrative medicine. Annals of Palliative Medicine July 1, 2017
- What we can learn from shamanic healing: brief psychotherapy with Latino immigrant clients. American Journal of Public Health October 1, 2002
- Shamanism as a healing paradigm for complementary therapy. Complementary therapies in nursing & midwifery August 1, 2001
- Shamanic Healing for Veterans with PTSD: A Case Series. Explore 2017
and 9 more in the library