Impact of Manual Physiotherapy in Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) After Tetanus Toxid (TT) Vaccination in Pregnant Women in a Rural Community of Karachi: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

A non-communicable disease, tetanus has no natural immunity; only prior vaccination can cure this disease. The mode of transmission is via wound contamination as well as poor-hygienic childbirth. Although tetanus toxoid (TT) vaccination is a primary preventive measure but certain musculoskeletal complications such as temporomandibular joint (TMJ) stiffness may arise post-vaccination. To assess the tetanus vaccination status and evaluate the effectiveness of manual physiotherapy in managing jaw lock among pregnant women aged 25 to 50 years. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted from January 2022 to August 2022. Data were collected from 35 participants using a cluster sampling method. A questionnaire was developed, validated by three subject experts, and then distributed in hard copy to the participants. To ensure accuracy, face-to-face interviews were also conducted. The study was carried out in the rural area of Karachi and at the Baldia Health Care Center. Results showed that 60% of participants were between 25–37 years of age, while 40% were above this range. Findings indicated that manual physiotherapy had a significant positive effect in managing temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders. Majority of the participants (60%) were in the range of 25-37 years while 40% were out of the range. It was observed that manual physiotherapy has a marvelous effect on curing TMJ disorder. This study reports TT coverage among all women of reproductive age group (25-50 years) in Karachi and observe the data among past history of pregnant women who have exposure to Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ).