Chronic pain related to quality of sleep

OBJECTIVE To determine the relation between the degrees of chronic pain and drowsiness levels. METHODS The study was conducted with 115 patients, who answered the questionnaire as diagnostic criteria in the survey. After evaluation based on the protocol of chronic pain registry RDC/TMD- Axis II, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale was applied to assess drowsiness levels. RESULTS Among the participating patients, there were more females (80%), and the type of pain more prevalent was chronic (70.4%). Concerning the grades of chronic pain, grade II predominated (38.3%), corresponding to high pain intensity and low disability. The ratio observed for levels of sleepiness was more prevalent for sleep debt average (38.3%). CONCLUSION The grades of chronic pain and the levels of sleepiness did not correlate with each other or with the gender of patients.