My jaw hurt on one side. What to do if your jaw hurts and aches. If your jaw hurts after dental procedures

You will find a list of them at the bottom of the page.

Jaw pain can occur for a variety of reasons, including injury, misalignment, arthritis, dental abscess, and temporomandibular joint disorder. If you have any problems with your jaw, it is very important to see a doctor as soon as possible for an accurate diagnosis. After all, pain in the jaw can also be a symptom of such a serious condition as heart attack or sore throat. Knowing the causes of pain, the doctor will be able to prescribe appropriate treatment, and you, in turn, will avoid associated complications such as swelling, limited jaw mobility and problems with chewing food.

Steps

Treatment of pain resulting from teeth grinding

    Find out the cause of teeth grinding. Although there is not necessarily just one cause for teeth grinding (also called bruxism), doctors identify the following main factors that can lead to daytime or nighttime teeth grinding:

    Treat your teeth. If chronic teeth grinding is causing you severe jaw pain, you may want to consult your dentist for advice on strategies to combat bruxism itself, or at least its side effects.

    Treat the cause of bruxism. If extreme emotional or behavioral issues are causing your bruxism and severe jaw pain, you may need to consider ways to address the emotional or behavioral causes.

    Change your lifestyle. If the bruxism causing jaw pain is related to stress or anxiety, lifestyle changes can reduce the incidence of bruxism and prevent future pain.

    Contact your doctor for an accurate diagnosis. Before you begin treatment for TMJ arthritis, it is very important to confirm that this is the problem. In most cases, arthritis can be confirmed by x-ray or axial computed tomography due to noticeable flattening or deformation of the condyle (the spherical end of the bone). The exception is traumatic arthritis, which is usually not visible on x-rays unless the fluid or blood filling the joint cavity is pumped out, after which the x-ray will become more informative.

    • Before diagnosing TMJ problems, it is important to rule out causes of pain such as cluster headaches, migraines, temporal arteritis, and stroke, especially if you also experience headaches.
  1. Treat the pain symptom of TMJ osteoarthritis. Although this type of arthritis can be painful, especially as the jaws become closer together, there are ways to control the pain and other symptoms.

    Treat your pain symptom rheumatoid arthritis TMJ. Treatment for pain from TMJ rheumatoid arthritis is similar to treatment for pain symptoms from rheumatoid arthritis in other joints. Typically treatment includes:

    Accept medical supplies, intended for any form of TMJ arthritis. Talk to your doctor about the best remedies for your arthritis symptoms.

Treatment of jaw pain that has no obvious cause

    Change your diet. Avoid solid foods and foods that cause you to stretch your mouth too much. This includes nuts, hard candies, hard baked goods, large fruits and vegetables such as fresh whole apples and carrots. You should also avoid chewing gum and sticky candies such as toffees.

    Sleep in a different position. If you sleep on your side and experience jaw pain, you can try sleeping on your back at night to relieve extra stress on your jaw. You can also purchase a mouth guard to prevent you from grinding your teeth at night, as bruxism can also be a cause of jaw pain that you simply don’t know about.

    Take painkillers. Over-the-counter pain relievers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen can relieve inflammation and pain in the jaw area.


Image from lori.ru Why does jaw pain occur? Reason one: fracture. After a strong blow to the facial area, or an accident, a fracture of the upper or lower jaw may occur. As a result of a particularly strong mechanical impact on a person’s skull, both jaws can break at the same time. If the jaw bone loses its integrity under the influence of strong mechanical force, it is called a jaw fracture. There are direct and reflected fractures of the jaw, multiple or single, with or without displacement of fragments, open or closed. Symptoms of a fracture include jaw pain, swelling, bruising, and difficulty chewing. Reason two: osteomyelitis of the jaws. This is an infectious disease that affects all areas of the jawbone and causes severe inflammation. Doctors know hematogenous osteomyelitis and the more common one – odontogenic. The latter form of the disease occurs due to an infection affecting the periodontal pocket. The causative agents of infection are staphylococcus, anaerobic bacteria, streptococcus. If your jaw hurts and the pain is pulsating, pursue headache, the temperature rises (sometimes up to forty degrees), the diagnosis of osteomyelitis is quite likely. The doctor finds the affected tooth with dead pulp (in some cases, filled teeth are found). Both this and the neighboring teeth hurt a lot and begin to loosen. The transitional fold turns red and smoothes out; in advanced cases, complications threaten - an abscess or phlegmon. A blood test shows an increase in the number of neutrophil leukocytes, and the ESR increases. The general condition of the patient may vary in severity. Reason three: odontogenic. Jaws often hurt for reasons related to diseases of the oral cavity. Caries affecting the nerve, pulp damage, periodontal abscess - all these ailments can cause pain in the jaw. Painful sensations become stronger at night, turn into a pulsating form. Often patients feel that the root of the affected tooth hurts. In some cases, there is pain in the jaw associated with osteomyelitis and the appearance of microabscesses. After a tooth is removed or dental surgery is performed, neuropathy sometimes appears trigeminal nerve. Symptoms of this disease are numbness of the lower lip and decreased tone of the masticatory muscles. Reason four: arteritis of the facial artery. If jaw pain is caused by this disease, it is accompanied by a burning sensation and spreads from the chin and lower jaw to the upper lip, nose and nasolabial fold. Sometimes the pain reaches the corner of the eye. A characteristic feature Arteritis is pain in the area where the facial artery bends over the base of the lower jaw. Reason five: dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint. In this case, the jaw hurts, as well as the joint, temple, cheek and even forehead. At the same time, it becomes difficult for a person to open his mouth, and with every movement an unpleasant click is heard. There are many reasons explaining the appearance of temporomandibular joint dysfunction. This includes myofascial syndrome in the masticatory muscles, congenital malocclusion, and inflammatory process, and osteoarthritis of the joint. Therefore, to the question: “What to do if your jaw hurts and it is clearly related to the joint,” you can answer: “Go to a doctor who will determine the cause and prescribe treatment.” After examining the patient, the doctor identifies the area of ​​pain, records that the person has problems opening the mouth, and detects changes in the structure of the joint. Reason six: cranial neuralgia. This is an overreaction of the inflamed nerves of the skull, causing painful sensations. As a rule, doctors identify trigeminal neuralgia, the signs of which are paroxysmal burning pain. Acute, twitching pain occurs in the areas of innervation of one of the branches of the trigeminal nerve. At night, the inflamed trigeminal nerve rarely makes itself felt, and pain in the area behind the ear and in the lower jaw is also rare. Reason five: neuralgia of the superior laryngeal nerve. With this disease, the pain spreads to the larynx area (on one or both sides). Usually, discomfort occur in the upper lobe of the thyroid cartilage, as well as in the area of ​​the hyoid bone. In addition, the jaw hurts, more precisely the area of ​​the angle of the lower jaw. The pain can radiate to the eye, ear, chest, shoulder. Painful sensations are often accompanied by hiccups and coughing, and increased salivation. Pain in the jaw and other listed areas is provoked by swallowing, blowing the nose, turning the head, and coughing. Treatment consists of taking medicines, local anesthesia. In some cases, it is necessary to cut the nerve. Reason seven: neuralgia of the glossopharyngeal nerve. This disease is very rare. Symptoms include attacks of pain that spread from the root of the tongue, tonsils to the larynx, ear and eye. The jaw also hurts, and sometimes the neck also hurts. A sick person tries to tilt his head towards the painful area - this position is very typical for patients. When pressing on the angle of the lower jaw, the pain becomes stronger. Reason eight: neuralgia of the ear ganglion. Accompanied by severe burning pain, manifested in the form of attacks. Each attack lasts approximately an hour. The pain spreads from the temple and outer ear canal to the lower jaw, chin, radiates into the teeth. A person hears clicks in the ear, which occur due to spasms of the auditory tube, and suffers increased salivation. Attacks of pain in the jaw and other listed areas are often provoked by eating hot or, conversely, too cold food or cooling. For diagnosis, you can use pressure on the point between the external auditory canal and the temporomandibular joint, at which the pain intensifies. Reason nine: carotidynia. This disease appears to be a type of migraine. The symptom is paroxysmal pain that does not subside for several hours and occurs in the upper jaw, neck, ear, mouth, and spreads throughout the face. When pressing on the carotid artery at the point where it divides into two vessels, sharp pain appears. Symptoms similar to cartodynia also appear with temporal arthritis, dissection carotid artery or a tumor that pushes the artery to the side. Reason ten: osteogenic sarcoma. This type of malignant tumor accounts for about 22 percent of all cases of non-epithelial tumor lesions of the jaw. Bone deformation, pain in the jaw and throughout the face, numbness in the area where the infraorbital or mental nerve exits are symptoms of osteogenic sarcoma. What to do if your jaw hurts? Contact one of the following specialists:

  • dentist;
  • surgeon;
  • neurologist.

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If the pain symptoms have nothing to do with braces, then these are signs of possible post-traumatic consequences or diseases, the symptoms of which are presented below:

  • with arthrosis, the patient suffers from constant aching pain in the jaw, accompanied by a crunching sound. The pain increases with strong opening of the mouth and chewing;
  • With arthritis, the main symptoms are crunching and pain under the jaw and near the ear. This disease hinders jaw movements.

Osteoarthritis and arthritis cause pain mainly in the morning, plus the patient can hear noise. Only an x-ray can determine an accurate diagnosis, since the symptoms of the diseases are similar to each other (and not only in arthritis and arthrosis).

  1. Benign ones may have no symptoms at all. A person may not be aware of the existence of a particular disease for a long time, for example, with ordinary osteoma. But there are types of diseases that still make themselves felt, creating excruciating pain:
  • symptoms of osteoid osteoma: sharp pain in the jaw, occurring mainly at night; facial asymmetry. These are signs of an advanced form because a tumor of this type develops slowly and does not manifest itself in any way at the initial stage of its existence;
  • osteoblastoclastoma is initially characterized aching pain in the jaw. As the tumor grows, it intensifies pain syndrome. There is also an elevated body temperature, a fistula on the skin of the face, and a pale pink neoplasm on the gums is visible to the naked eye. In the last stages of the disease, facial asymmetry is noticeable;
  • A thickened jaw is the first sign of adamantiomas. During the period of tumor growth, chewing function is impaired. Late forms of the disease are characterized by severe sharp pain in the jaw, the severity of which intensifies when chewing.

A benign tumor of any kind is subject to treatment - surgery.

  1. malignant tumors:
  • cancer is spreading at a rapid rate soft fabrics surrounding the jaw, resulting from tooth loss. Immediately the pain is almost unnoticeable, but over time the patient cannot do without painkillers;
  • osteogenic sarcoma - originates in bone tissue. The patient feels unbearable pain in the jaw or under it for a long time.

Pain under the lower jaw

The lower jaw has many anatomical receptors, the defeat of which leads to pain. Mainly you should pay attention to pathologies related to the submandibular lymph nodes. The possibility of lymphadenitis, an inflammatory process that occurs as a result of infections in the lymph nodes, cannot be ruled out. Acute lymphadenitis causes sharp pain under the jaw, high body temperature and general weakness. Failure to receive timely treatment can lead to chronic form diseases. Here the pain is already acute. During both of these forms of lymphadenitis, purulent formation is possible, medically known as an abscess and phlegmon.

Neoplasms in the submandibular lymph nodes are usually metastases that have spread from any organ. The pain in this case can be completely different. Other signs include: elevated body temperature for a long time, weight loss, weakness.


With hypersensitivity of the tongue (glosalgia), the pain radiates to the lower jaw. What in this case can cause pain under the jaw? Long conversations, chewing too hard foods, eating hot - cold, sour, spicy and other foods.

Inflammation of the tongue (glositis) is somewhat similar in symptoms to the previous option, but the tongue in this case is thicker and bright red in color. May cause cellulitis or abscess.

Salivary stone disease (sialoliths) is indicated by severe pain and unilateral swelling under the lower jaw; bad breath, which is a consequence of pus secreted from the gland duct; increased body temperature, weakness.

With the development of inflammatory processes salivary glands(sialoadenitis) the patient also complains of pain under the lower jaw and general ailments. The end result may be cellulitis or an abscess.

A sore throat can also cause pain under the lower jaw. Here the pain under the jaw and in the throat intensifies when swallowing. Often the patient cannot swallow food, which is why he refuses to eat at all. Other symptoms: ear pain, heat body, signs of acute respiratory infections or flu.

Pain under the jaw on the right

Pain under the jaw on the right or left can be due to several reasons:

  • injury,
  • inflammatory processes affecting the jaw bone,
  • dental problems,
  • lymphatic changes, including cancer.

No matter what symptoms are accompanied by pain under the jaw on the right, consultation with a doctor is required.

If pain does not cause much discomfort, then this is not a fact that the basis for this investigation is not serious. It's no secret that initially many diseases are not expressed at all visible signs. Only then, over time, mild pain can develop into exhaustion. That is why pain should be eliminated not with lotions or painkillers, but with competent medical treatment.

Pain in the neck under the jaw

Most often, pain under the jaw and in the neck is associated with lymphatic inflammation or sore throat. Both causes are associated with infection entering the body: in the lymph nodes or tonsils.

  • Migraine is a neurological disease. The pain is usually unilateral. It becomes more intense in bright light or with sudden changes in lighting; with loud sounds, with strong odors. Migraine is accompanied by severe thirst, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, visual features: “lightning” or “floaters” in the eyes, speech impairment, and increased drowsiness. An attack can last 4 hours – 3 days.
  • Carotidynia is one of the types of migraine.
  • infectious dental diseases.

Pain under the jaw on the left

Pain under the jaw on the left can be caused by any of the above reasons, as well as:


  • angina pectoris or heart attack are pathologies associated with a disorder of blood flow in relation to the coronary vessels of the heart. Symptoms are usually: burning pain in the chest area. Atypical symptoms include pain under the jaw on the left. With angina pectoris or myocardial infarction, the patient often attributes acute pain in the jaw area to a sore tooth. Here is another proof that salvation lies not in painkillers, but in professional medical care. Otherwise, death is no exception.

Pain under the jaw when pressing

Pain under the jaw upon palpation or pressure may be indicated for various reasons, For example:

  • Neuralgia of the ear node,
  • Osteogenic sarcoma,
  • Inflammation of the lymph nodes,
  • Sialoliths.

And this is not the entire list possible diseases, each of which has serious consequences. The most reliable way to find out the probable problem is to visit a doctor:

  • dentist,
  • neurologist (for pathologies of a neurologist),
  • otolaryngologist,
  • surgeon

Doctors determine pain under the jaw, or rather its cause, not only through descriptions of symptoms, but also through x-rays and tests.

Pain under the jaw when swallowing

As a rule, pain under the jaw when swallowing occurs due to a sore throat, where typical symptoms include signs of colds, in particular increased body temperature, headache, general malaise, and weakness. Often the pain of a sore throat radiates to the ear.

A more rare cause for these symptoms is neuralgia of the glossopharyngeal nerve. Here the pain is significantly different from the pain caused by a sore throat. In this case, a person experiences a kind of seizure, the duration of which is from 1 to 3 minutes.

Pain under the jaw when swallowing can be combined with “shooting” in the ears, loss of appetite - with sore throat; with the head tilted to one side - with neuralgia of the glossopharyngeal nerve.

Sore throat under the jaw

Pain under the jaw, where the main source is the throat, forms:

  • angina,
  • pharyngitis is divided into forms and types:
  1. spicy:
  • provoked by the influence of influencing factors,
  • traumatic,
  • allergic,
  • viral,
  • fungal,
  • bacterial,
  • chronic;
  1. catarrhal:
  • atrophic,
  • hypertrophic,
  • mixed.

Acute or catarrhal pharyngitis has some general symptoms, which include pain under the jaw, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, fever, loss of appetite, weakness,

  • lymphadenitis,
  • aphthous stomatitis - simply put, ulcerative stomatitis, which of all types of stomatitis is the most complex and painful. A small spot immediately appears on the mucous membrane of the oral cavity, which does not reach 1 cm in size. After several hours, a gray necrotic erosion forms from the white spot. After a few days, the necrotic masses are rejected,
  • tonsillitis of the lingual tonsil, which can occur in different ways, depending on the type of disease:
  1. catarrhal,
  2. follicular,
  3. phlegmonous.

The usual picture of the disease occurs as follows: the patient experiences severe pain when swallowing, during the movement of the tongue. The main point of the disease is the tonsils, smoothly flowing into the intermuscular and connective tissue, which can subsequently provoke interstitial purulent inflammation language.

In the phlegmonous type of the disease, where the cause is a mechanical effect on the lingual tonsil, for example, a fish bone is stuck, a sharp pain appears, gaining intensity during swallowing, increased temperature and worsening general condition.


  • paratonsillar and retropharyngeal abscess,
  • phlegmon.

Pain under the lower jaw on the left

Any kind of pain anywhere can be caused by anything, such as injury, inflammatory or infectious diseases, tumors. Pain under the jaw tells us the same thing, no matter on the right or left side, on the lower or upper part.

But! In addition to everything said on the left side human body the heart is located, and in the case of heart disease, the pain, as a rule, radiates to the left. Pain under the lower jaw on the left can be caused by heart attacks or angina pectoris, the causes and symptoms of which we have already discussed above.

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What to do if the upper and lower jaw hurts - causes and treatment, which doctor to contact and other nuances of the first necessary actions. The types of diseases that are characterized by pain in the human dental system and how to get rid of it are described.

Causes of pain

The jaws belong to the facial part of the skull and are connected by a joint. The upper jaw is fixedly connected to the maxillary sinuses, the lower jaw is movable. Attached to them:

  • chewing muscles, which provide mechanical processing of food;
  • facial muscles, reflecting the variety of human emotions.

Pain in the jaw area can be unilateral or bilateral, localized on the left and right. Common reasons its appearances serve:

  • injuries;
  • nerve inflammation;
  • dental diseases, dental procedures;
  • diseases of the jaw joint;
  • erythroothalgia - red ear syndrome;
  • inflammatory, purulent diseases of the soft tissues of the face;
  • injuries, mechanical irritation from wearing braces;
  • carotidynia;
  • lockjaw;
  • radiating pain due to heart disease;
  • malignant tumor.

Injuries

The least damage is caused by a bruise and the swelling of soft tissues caused by it. A strong blow can cause:

  1. Fracture.
  2. A crack in the bone.
  3. Damage to the jaw joint.
  4. Dislocation.

The most severe injuries occur during a fracture; they cause suffering to the patient and limit capabilities. When a fracture occurs, the jaw hurts even when there is no attempt to speak or chew. It is not difficult for an experienced surgeon to treat a dislocated jaw, the signs of which are:

  1. Inability to close your mouth.
  2. Pain in the area of ​​the affected joint.
  3. Curvature of the mouth.

You should not try to cope with a dislocation on your own. Instead of the desired cure, you can achieve the opposite result and only complicate the surgeon’s task.

Neuralgia

Soreness may occur due to inflammation of the nerves innervating the face.
Acute pain occurs due to inflammation:

  • trigeminal nerve;
  • superior laryngeal;
  • Glossopharyngeal.

The trigeminal nerve provides communication between the facial muscles and facial muscles and the brain. It has many branches, and when it becomes inflamed, it is not just a specific area that hurts, but the entire side. The boring, aching pain is highly intense, attacks are intensified at night. Inflammation of the superior laryngeal nerve is accompanied by unilateral discomfort, which intensifies when trying to chew, blow your nose, or yawn. A person may suffer from hiccups, coughing and drooling. Inflammatory diseases of the glossopharyngeal nerve are manifested by soreness of the lower jaw, tongue, and larynx. The pain is paroxysmal in nature, occurs at the slightest movement of the tongue and lasts several minutes.

Osteomyelitis

The patient's serious condition and strong pain observed in patients with osteomyelitis of the jaw, it occurs when bone tissue is infected with bacteria (dangerous complications). Osteomyelitis is classified according to the method of infection:

  • odontogenic – bacteria enter the bone tissue through a diseased tooth;
  • hematogenous - pathogenic agents penetrate the bone through the bloodstream, spreading from foci of infection in the body;
  • traumatic.

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When the jaw hurts, people experience many unpleasant sensations: it becomes difficult to chew, yawn, and speak. This symptom may accompany various diseases, therefore, to diagnose the pathology, you need to visit three doctors: a dentist, a surgeon and a neurologist. Depending on the diagnosis, treatment tactics are developed and medications are prescribed.

Main causes of pain

Most often the lower jaw hurts. Discomfortable sensations can be localized on one side or throughout the entire joint, radiating to the ear and other parts of the body. Various pathologies can cause this condition:

  1. Diseases of the gums, maxillodental apparatus or mandibular temporal joint. In this case, the jaw may hurt on both sides and radiate to the ear. The problem is solved by a dentist or surgeon.
  2. Disturbances in the functioning of the air-circulating sinuses. A purulent process may develop in them. The treatment is carried out by an otolaryngologist.
  3. Inflammation or infection in the tonsils, adjacent tissues or throat. Eliminates the ENT doctor.
  4. Peripheral diseases nervous system.
  5. Inflammation in the lymph nodes.
  6. Pain in the lower jaw on the left side may indicate angina or the development of myocardial infarction.


Inflammation in the lymph nodes can also cause jaw pain

The basis of the facial skeleton is made up of the lower and upper jaws. The upper paired part includes 2 bones, 4 processes and a body with an air sinus.

The lower part has no pair and forms the basis of the temporomandibular joint. Muscles and teeth are attached to bone tissue; they are involved in the process of chewing food and pronouncing sounds. The jaw moves with the help of the temporomandibular joint. With some diseases, pain occurs in it, especially when moving, when a peculiar click occurs when opening the mouth.

The video simulates the structure of the lower jaw:

Sometimes discomfort occurs when pressing on the jaw, and an unpleasant sensation can be observed on one side or the entire jaw responds. The cause may be damage to bone tissue or joints. For example, pain in the heart often radiates to the joint below.

Pain may occur due to joint damage or fractures. In this case, the mouth practically does not open. These reasons require immediate contact with a medical center, since serious illnesses quickly develop complications and significant deterioration in health.

Sometimes diseases occur that have nothing to do with the facial skeleton. However, they can also cause discomfort. Sometimes rare diseases can also be the source.

If the jaw cramps, the person may be suffering from one of the following diseases:

  1. Tetanus. Muscle cramps and pain when swallowing develop. You should consult a doctor immediately. Antitetanus serum will relieve symptoms of the disease.
  2. Red ear syndrome. Occurs with damage to the thalamus and cervical spondylosis.
  3. IN childhood the problem may be caused by mumps or mumps, a disorder of calcium and phosphorus metabolism in the body.

Below we will look at less common reasons why the jaw hurts.

Oncological factor

Cancer pain often occurs with right side. In the worst case, it can signal cancer in the bone tissue or osteogenic sarcoma.

Before the main signs of the disease appear, the nerve endings lose sensitivity, and significant numbness appears in the jaw area. After this, pain in the jaw appears.

With atheroma - a benign tumor - unpleasant sensations also appear in the facial area. Most often, a lump appears near or behind the ear. This occurs due to the growth of the lymph node. When you palpate this place, you can detect a movable subcutaneous ball. This condition does not pose a threat to health, but if it is not eliminated, an inflammatory or purulent process may begin.

In this case, it hurts near the ear, the general condition worsens, the body temperature rises, and the head begins to hurt. The formation near the ear turns red. If not treated promptly, pus can move throughout the body, causing blood poisoning. Often, a lump behind the ear is formed as a result of otitis media, so it is worth being examined by an otolaryngologist.

Pain while chewing

If it appears while chewing food, then the patient probably has a dislocated jaw or osteomyelitis. In addition, there are other diseases with similar symptoms:

  • periodontitis;
  • caries complicated by an inflammatory process in the nerve ending;
  • pulp damage.

The pain radiates to the jaw in a pulsating manner, often occurring at night.

Symptoms of diseases

It is quite difficult to diagnose damage to the temporomandibular joint on your own, since usually the pain is not limited only to the jaw area. Not in this department nerve endings, so signs of the disease may appear as follows:

  1. When pressing in the ear area, pain occurs in the jaw.
  2. Soreness in the neck area.
  3. Headache, temporal part, occipital region.
  4. Pain in the area of ​​the shoulder blades.
  5. When you open your mouth, a characteristic crunching sound may appear, causing tinnitus.


Neck pain often accompanies diseases causing pain in the jaw

You should pay attention to the click when you open your mouth Special attention, even in the absence of pain in the lower jaw. It can be heard even by others. This condition often indicates misalignment or unnatural tension in the discs and muscles that support the jaw joint when chewing food.

Possible complications

Negligent treatment of this symptom can cause serious complications.

With an accompanying symptom, expressed in congestion of one ear or ears, it can lead to partial or complete hearing loss. Due to the fact that the jaw cannot be fully opened, it shifts. Over time, this will lead to dental problems, cause enamel wear, and teeth will become more sensitive.

Increased tension in muscle tissue leads to consequences such as:

  • back pain;
  • dizziness;
  • poor sleep;
  • depression;
  • disorientation;
  • increased sensitivity to light (photophobia);
  • pain in the eyes;
  • decreased vision.

Principles of treatment and prevention

Now we’ll tell you what to do if your jaw hurts. The basis of treatment is diagnosis of pathology, pain relief and a complex of therapy depending on the diagnosis.

  1. If there is a bruise and a cramp in the jaw, then cold compresses are used.
  2. The surgeon corrects the dislocations.
  3. For fractures, if there are displaced bone fragments, surgery is performed.
  4. If there is a purulent disease, then the abscess is often opened, after which a course of antibacterial therapy is prescribed.
  5. It happens that jaw pain occurs as a result of carotidynia, a type of migraine. With this disease, pain spreads to the ears, eye sockets and jaw area. In this case, painkillers and antidepressants are prescribed.
  6. Against the background of myocardial infarction, pain is felt in the jaw; with obvious symptoms of such a pathology, immediate hospitalization is required. Already in a hospital setting, the patient will be prescribed thrombolytics, drugs that reduce arterial pressure and blood thinning analgesics.
  7. If the cause of pain is problems with teeth and periodontal tissues, then oral cavity sanitation is carried out. Cysts, pulpitis, periodontitis are eliminated using surgical intervention. If pain in the jaw and ear occurs due to wearing braces, then at first this is a natural process. If it is impossible to tolerate it, the dentist will tighten or, conversely, lower the locks. Or prescribe painkillers. Sometimes pain in the jaw area occurs due to wisdom teeth that are not erupting properly. In this case, surgical treatment will also be required.
  8. Oncological diseases are treated surgically or with mixed therapy based on taking chemicals and irradiating cancer cells.


If the pain is caused by a dislocation, it is enough to straighten the joint for treatment.

The video explains why the lower jaw hurts and how to treat the problem:

To avoid pain in the jaw, it is necessary to promptly treat bruises in this area. Malocclusions also require treatment from a specialist. It is recommended to correct dental problems in a timely manner. You should not chew chewing gum for a long time; it creates excessive tension in the jaw muscles. It is advisable to sleep on your back or side. You should not clench your jaw when angry; this can seriously affect your health in the future.

It is not recommended to carry a heavy load on one shoulder, as this causes asymmetry in the neck and back area, which can also move the jaw, subsequently leading to pain in this area. A heavy bag needs to be moved from one shoulder to the other from time to time.

That's all. Now you know why your jaw cramps and pain appears in it different parts, what are the reasons for their appearance and what to do in this case. Be healthy!

If it is in the jaw area - upper or lower, right or left - it is a rather frightening symptom. It may indicate illness large quantity organs and structures. These can be teeth, ears, gums, air sinuses, lymph nodes, and soft tissues of the face. Pain from inflammation of the internal organs may radiate to the jaw, but only a few.

To understand possible reasons pain in the jaw, consider them using an algorithm. This, of course, does not cancel a trip to the doctor, because to objectively assess the color of the throat, the presence carious cavities, reflexes, facial symmetry, heart rhythm or other indicators can only be done by a specialist with medical education. Several different laboratories and various instrumental methods can come to his aid at the right time.

Main causes of jaw pain

Pain syndrome localized in the jaw can be caused by diseases:

  • dentofacial apparatus, gums, temporomandibular joint, thanks to which the lower jaw moves, soft tissues under the lower jaw. Such problems are dealt with by dentists in public and private dental clinics, as well as maxillofacial surgeons - operating dentists who solve the problems of jaw abscesses and phlegmon that has developed as a result of dental diseases;
  • air sinuses. In the area of ​​the upper jaw, on both sides of the nose, there are the maxillary (maxillary) sinuses, and behind the ear there is temporal bone with a process inside which there is a cavity. The mucous membrane that lines them can become inflamed and suppurate; tumors can grow from it. An ENT doctor deals with such diseases;
  • throat, tonsils and tissues near the tonsils. Purulent-inflammatory and infectious diseases and tumors can develop here. Otolaryngologists (ENT doctors) deal with such pathologies;
  • peripheral nervous system: inflammation or irritation of nerve fibers and nodes in which processes and bodies of nerve cells accumulate;
  • lymph nodes located along the perimeter of the lower jaw. They can become inflamed when they collect infected lymph from various organs: nose, throat, eyes, soft tissues of the face. They can contain cancer cells due to malignant tumors of bones, mucous membranes, soft tissues in the face and back of the head. Normally, the lymph nodes are not palpable and do not hurt. Their diseases are dealt with by a therapist (for children, a pediatrician).

Depending on the development mechanism, one of the following types of diseases may develop in each location:

  1. Purulent-inflammatory pathologies:
    • abscess - purulent melting of tissue, delimited by a capsule from surrounding tissues; is fraught with the development of sepsis - blood poisoning;
    • phlegmon is a bacterial melting of tissue that is not delimited by a capsule, but tends to spread deep into and along similar tissues. It spreads especially easily through fiber.
  2. Infectious pathologies that occur when the bacterium does not cause tissue melting.
  3. Dysmetabolic disorders - associated with changes in the balance of electrolytes or other substances.
  4. Injuries. In the case of the jaw, this is not only a blow or bruise, but also a sharp or strong opening of the mouth, movements of the jaw aimed at opening bottles or hard packaging with the teeth.
  5. Tumors – malignant and benign.
  6. Diseases of peripheral vessels and nerves.

If your jaw hurts after dental procedures

If less than a month has passed since the person received braces or removable dentures, the lower jaw “has the right” to hurt. At the same time, teeth may become more mobile and headaches may occur periodically. This is due to the formation of a correct bite. If this condition does not go away after 2 months, you need to be examined by an orthodontist.

Neuralgia of the superior laryngeal nerve

The superior laryngeal nerve innervates the root of the tongue, larynx, and upper pharynx. When it is irritated, pain appears, localized under the lower jaw. It is accompanied by coughing and drooling. The pain radiates to the face, ear, shoulder and chest. An attack is provoked by swallowing, coughing, turning the head.

Neuralgia of the glossopharyngeal nerve

Here the pain is felt in the tongue, but radiates to the jaw, chest, and larynx. Attacks of pain last no longer than three minutes and may be accompanied by dry mouth. The pain intensifies when pressing on the lower jaw. There is no violation of the general condition, the temperature remains normal.

Odontogenic pain

Pulpitis (inflammation of the neurovascular bundle localized inside the tooth), caries (destruction of tooth enamel), and incipient periodontal abscess (an abscess near the tooth) are manifested by severe pain in a local area of ​​the upper or lower jaw, which intensifies at night and has a pulsating character. In this case, the area of ​​the root of the diseased tooth is painful on palpation, and it hurts when food is bitten by the tooth. It also responds with pain when cold or hot drinks come into contact with it.

Osteogenic sarcoma

It is a malignant tumor, like cancer. Only tumors that grow from mucous membranes are called cancer, and those that grow from bone, fat, nerve or vascular tissue are called sarcomas. In this case we are talking about a tumor originating from the bone of the lower or upper jaw. It manifests itself as a deformation of the jaw, occurring after a period of pain in the jaw and throughout the face. In addition, you can find a point in the chin area or under the eye where maximum pain is felt.

Osteoid osteoma

Pain in one of the jaws is almost always observed only at night. For a long time there are no other symptoms; with sufficient growth of this malignant tumor, facial asymmetry becomes noticeable.

Arteritis of the facial artery

In this case, the pain spreads from the chin and lower jaw to the upper lip. The pain is severe, burning.

If, in addition to pain, the temperature has increased

This symptom requires a more detailed analysis, depending on the location.

Pain in the upper jaw

These may be the following pathologies (almost all symptoms are discussed above):

  • Osteomyelitis of the maxilla. It is associated with tooth extraction, incorrect tooth extraction, installation of an implant in the upper jaw, incorrect sinus lift. It can hurt either in the left jaw or on the right.
  • Sinusitis. Usually this disease develops on one side - right or left. It is provoked by hypothermia, trauma to the nose or skull, pulpitis of the upper molars, and periodontitis of the upper jaw. Symptoms of the pathology: pain radiates to the jaw, head, or eye socket, but you can find the point of maximum pain near the nose. In addition, half of the nose is blocked, mucus or pus flows from it (or from both nostrils), the voice becomes nasal, and back wall mucus drains from the throat.
  • Cellulitis or abscess in this area, accompanied by swelling and tenderness of the soft tissues. The disease is preceded by an open disease (with loss of integrity skin) injury to this area, or treatment of the teeth of the upper jaw.
  • Gingivitis is inflammation of the mucous membrane of the gums. Inflamed gums, and with them the entire jaw, hurt, the temperature rises, and bad breath appears. Read more.
  • Alveolitis is an inflammation of the tooth socket after its removal.

Pain in the lower jaw

Pain in the lower jaw with increased temperature may be a consequence of:

  • osteomyelitis;
  • gingivitis;
  • alveolitis – complications after tooth extraction;
  • submandibular phlegmon or abscess;
  • glossitis - inflammation of the mucous membrane of the tongue, which occurs as a result of its infection due to burns (chemical or thermal) or injuries. With this disease, not only the tongue hurts and the taste ceases to be felt, but also the jaw aches;
  • if it is localized near the ear and is accompanied by an increase in body temperature, it is most likely. In this case, there may be discharge of pus or light fluid from the ear, and hearing impairment. Otitis media is indicated by weakness, fatigue, loss of appetite. A characteristic symptom: the pain intensifies when pressing on the tragus of the ear (a particularly protruding cartilage on the inside).

Ear and jaw pain

The symptom of pain in the ear and jaw indicates:

  1. dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint. People over 30 years of age are more susceptible to this disease, especially those who have suffered trauma, arthritis of this joint, or have a pathology of the bite or masticatory muscles. It manifests itself as a headache in one half of the head, pain in the jaw, which radiates to the cheek, forehead, and temple. Jaw movements occur along a disturbed trajectory. With active movements of the jaw, a crunching and clicking sensation is felt in the joint near the ear. The jaw may suddenly lock.
  2. arthrosis of the temporomandibular joint. Here the pain is constant, aching. There is a crunching sensation when you open your mouth. Opening wide becomes painful, as does closing your jaw too tightly. Chewing on this side also hurts. It is especially difficult to open your mouth in the morning, but then it becomes easier.
  3. arthritis of the temporomandibular joint. Leading symptoms: pain near the ear, crackling, noise, clicking, crunching in the joint area, poor mobility, especially in the morning.
  4. otitis, that is, inflammation of the ear: external or middle, located deeper than the eardrum;
  5. carotidynia - irritation of the nerve endings near the carotid artery. This pain is paroxysmal, begins in the upper jaw, radiates to the neck, ear, oral cavity, and spreads throughout the face. Pressure on the side of the neck from the side and just below the Adam's apple causes acute pain. Causes of carotidini: tumors of soft tissues located near the carotid artery, dissection of the temporal artery;
  6. neuralgia of the ear node. In this case, paroxysmal burning pain occurs. This pain goes from the temple, past the ear, reaches the lower jaw, chin, and radiates to the teeth. Clicking in the ear also appears, and salivation increases. The cause of the condition is hypothermia, sinusitis;
  7. erythroothalgia syndrome. Here the ear hurts more, not the jaw. The pain radiates to the forehead, lower jaw, and back of the head. In addition, the ear turns red. Causes of the syndrome: cervical spondylosis, dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint, damage to the thalamus and some others.

If pain occurs when chewing

Pain in the jaw when chewing is a sign of:

  • dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint;
  • arthritis of this joint;
  • arthrosis of the temporomandibular joint.

All these diseases are described in detail above.

Also, pain when chewing can occur with adamantinoma, one of the benign tumors that develops in the thickness of the lower, and less commonly, the upper jaw. The jaw increases in size, making it difficult to chew. At the same time, pain appears and increases.

Pain is felt under the jaw

Pain under the jaw is a sign of many diseases:

  • Submandibular lymphadenitis. This is the name for inflammation of the submandibular lymph nodes. This happens when an infection gets here due to tonsillitis, periodontitis, conjunctivitis, facial furunculosis, or a carbuncle that appears on the face. To confirm the diagnosis, painful, elastic and mobile lymph nodes are palpated here. If the latter has a hard consistency, does not move or is painless, you need to look for where the cancer is metastasizing from.
  • Infectious mononucleosis. This viral disease, in which many groups of lymph nodes are affected, including the submandibular one. The pathology is accompanied by a rise in temperature and mild symptoms of intoxication (weakness, drowsiness, nausea, loss of appetite). Read more about.
  • Glossalgia or tongue hypersensitivity. Here the pain radiates to the lower jaw and occurs after chewing rough food, as well as eating sour, spicy, hot or cold foods.
  • Glossitis is inflammation of the tongue. The tongue is noticeably thickened and bright red. If the pathology is not treated, submandibular phlegmon or an abscess may develop.
  • Sialadenitis is inflammation of the salivary glands located under the jaw. In this case, the temperature rises, weakness appears, salivation increases, and appetite decreases. A dense elastic painful formation is determined at the angle of the jaw.
  • Sialolithiasis. In this case, stones are detected in the salivary glands. Under the lower jaw - on the left or right - a swelling is detected, purulent discharge is released into the mouth, the amount is insignificant, and the person does not feel it, but the smell in the mouth becomes unpleasant.
  • Pharyngitis is inflammation of the mucous membrane of the throat. Symptoms: cough and pain that can radiate to the jaw.
  • Sore throats are inflammations of the tonsils. In this case, the throat hurts greatly, the temperature rises, and it becomes painful to swallow. Pain from the throat can radiate to the jaw and ear.
  • Tumors of the salivary glands, which are manifested by aching pain of low intensity, localized under the jaw. If the tumor is malignant, the pain becomes more intense, the temperature rises, and submandibular lymph nodes, weakness increases, body weight decreases.
  • Tumors of the larynx, in which irritation of the laryngeal nerve occurs. In this case, pain appears in the throat, it spreads to the chest, the area under the lower jaw, and the ear. A person is also bothered by a lump in the throat, difficulty swallowing first solid and then liquid food.
  • Fracture of the lower jaw. Its symptoms are described below.

If it hurts to open your mouth

Pain when opening the mouth can be:

  1. acute, when it occurred sharply and suddenly;
  2. chronic: exists for a long time.

Acute pain

Typical for the following cases:

  • Bruise, fracture or dislocation of a joint. Then it occurs after a blow, a strong opening of the mouth, or a fall on the face. Characteristic symptoms described above in the section “Pain appeared after injury.”
  • Cellulitis, abscess or osteomyelitis. In this case, it occurs after an injury, or against the background of prolonged tooth pain, sore throat, chickenpox, tooth extraction. Its symptoms can also be found in the section “After dental intervention” or “After injury”.
  • If the jaw hurts after visiting the dentist, when the person kept his mouth wide open for a long time, this means that effusion has formed in the joint– excess fluid produced by the joint membrane. In this case, you need to spare the joint for several days without loading it with chewing solid food. Also periodically apply cold bandages to the joint area for 2-3 days. If this condition is not corrected, arthrosis, a degenerative joint condition, may develop.
  • Arthritis. Pain may occur due to hypothermia, general infectious disease. When chewing, clicking, crunching, and noise in the joint are felt. The pain may radiate to the ear.

Chronic pain

If it hurts to open your mouth in the morning, then this condition goes away during the day, it could be arthrosis of the temporomandibular joint. It most often occurs in people who are missing molars, placing the stress on the bones rather than the teeth. If there are no teeth on the right, it will be painful to open the right half of the mouth. If on the left, then left.

Temporomandibular joint dysfunction and arthrosis of the joint described above also cause pain when opening the mouth. It hurts to chew and open your mouth too much. Movement is constrained in the morning, but then it goes away.

Trigeminal neuralgia. It is described in the section “When there are no other symptoms besides pain.”

When jaw pain is accompanied by deterioration of the condition

On right Left The temperature has risen Weakness, drowsiness Other symptoms
Pain in the upper jaw Temporal arteritis (large vessels coming from the carotid artery become inflamed) No Yes
  • severe headache, radiating to the back of the head and temples, pulsating in nature;
  • double vision;
  • transient blindness;
  • decreased clarity of vision;
  • soreness of the scalp when touched or scratched;
  • weight loss;
  • swelling, nodules, pain in the temples.
Osteoblastoclastoma (bone tumor) Yes Yes Pain in the jaw increases, and appears on the skin of the face. A pale pink swelling is visible on the gums
Cancer (tumor developing from the skin and mucous membranes) Stays normal for a long time In the final stages Jaw pain that gets worse
Osteomyelitis Yes Yes
Abscess or cellulitis Yes Yes Severe swelling of the jaw, making it difficult to open your mouth. There may be nausea and vomiting due to intoxication
Pain in the lower jaw The same diseases as in the upper jaw
No No Pain occurs when walking quickly, walking against the wind, and is accompanied by pain either in the left side of the chest, or in the left arm (or just the little finger). It becomes easier after a short rest, taking a Nitroglycerin tablet
Yes Yes The pain is very strong, localized more in the left half of the sternum, and significant in extent. It is triggered by emotional stress or exercise stress. May be accompanied by loss of consciousness or arrhythmia
Yes Yes The pain is greater on the right under the rib, it radiates to the right lower jaw. Bitterness in the mouth, loose stools or constipation, and aversion to fatty foods are also noted.

The symptom of pain in the jaw is not “trifling”, because it can indicate not only caries (which can be complicated by phlegmon of the maxillofacial area). Malignant bone tumors also show the same sign. Only doctors - dentists, neurologists, otolaryngologists or cardiologists - can accurately determine the cause of pain in the jaw. Even people with higher medical education who are not included in these three categories go for examination to their colleagues, since it is impossible to independently establish the etiology.

Why does the lower jaw hurt? What diseases can this symptom signal? In any case, you should consult a specialist to determine the cause and begin treatment.

Localization and main reasons

The cause of pain can be both injuries and diseases of the teeth and tissues.

Pain in the lower jaw appears for various reasons: various injuries, inflammatory diseases in tissues, damage to nerves and blood vessels, tumor processes. If the lower jaw hurts, in some cases the patient can determine the specific location of the pain:

  • in the ear area,
  • lymph nodes,
  • in the facial muscles,
  • on one side of the face
  • only in the lower part of the face.

Wearing braces and dentures

Pain often accompanies patients who use removable dentures and braces. Painful sensations during the process of correcting the bite are normal, as teeth shift and. The doctor must warn the patient about this before starting treatment.

Expert opinion. Dentist Rakhvalin R.E.: “Discomfort when wearing removable orthodontic structures often occurs during the period of adaptation. Over time, the pain disappears. If this does not happen, you need to visit a doctor, as this indicates a malfunction of the prosthesis or its improper use. When the teeth do not close properly, muscle pain often occurs.”

Injuries

Pain is the main symptom various injuries, while the severity of pain depends on the nature of the injury:

  1. Injury- a mild type of injury, damage to soft tissues, while the bone remains intact. Symptoms: bruising, soreness, swelling, which disappears after a few days.
  1. Fracture- serious injury requiring medical attention.
  1. Dislocation occurs mainly when the mouth is suddenly opened, while it is impossible to close the teeth back. A sharp, unbearable pain occurs, the lower jaw moves forward or sideways. You need to contact a specialist who will set the jaw back into place manually.

Purulent-inflammatory pathologies

Dislocation of the lower jaw is accompanied by its displacement, with the inability to close the mouth.

Pain and discomfort may accompany purulent-inflammatory diseases:

  • Osteomyelitis develops against the background of infection penetration into the jaw tissue (through the bloodstream or from infected teeth and oral tissues). The pain in this case is pronounced, the disease requires immediate treatment.
  • Abscesses and cellulitis most often occur in the tissues of the lower jaw, which form the bed under the tongue.
  • It is dangerous to squeeze out a boil on your own; you should seek help from a doctor.

Problems with the temporal joint

With diseases of the temporal joint, the pain radiates to the ear. Most often these are the following diseases:

Dental diseases

Pain is the main symptom of almost all dental diseases:

  • caries,
  • periodontitis,
  • limited osteomyelitis,
  • dental injuries,
  • increased sensitivity of enamel.

Vascular pathologies

One of the conditions for the natural functioning of any type of tissue in the human body is its proper blood supply. If this process is disrupted, pain and other unpleasant symptoms occur. Vascular pathologies: arteritis of the facial artery provokes burning pain, problems with the carotid artery. Medicines are used to treat pathologies.

Pain under the jaw


Pain under the jaw can be caused by pathologies of the lymph nodes.

Under the lower jaw there are many anatomical formations, diseases that often cause pain:

  • inflammation of the salivary glands,
  • tumor processes of the larynx,
  • lymph node tumors,
  • salivary stone disease,
  • pharyngitis, tonsillitis.

Neurogenic causes

With pathologies of certain types of nerves, pain radiates to the lower jaw:

  1. - damage to the inferior branch of the trigeminal nerve causes pain that spreads to the lower part of the face. Attacks most often bother the patient at night.
  1. Neuralgia of the superior laryngeal nerve: severe pain under the lower jaw occurs when swallowing, chewing, blowing the nose.
  1. Neuralgia of the glossopharyngeal nerve: pain appears in the tongue, extends to the jaw. Pathology is rare.

Pain in the jaw area can accompany a number of diseases, pathological conditions or be the result of injury. Of course, a doctor will be the best person to help you with this matter. And we, for our part, tried to provide the most full information on this issue. We will find out why the jaw hurts, what the nature and nature of this pain may be, and how to deal with it.

So what to do if your jaw hurts? Pain is always the first symptom that there is a problem in the body. If you feel pain in your jaw, it would be a good idea to consult a doctor. And you don’t need to put off going to see him, because such pain can be a signal of a serious illness. But there is no need to panic. It is quite possible that you will soon forget about this problem.

The doctor will pay attention to the nature of the pain itself and the location of its localization, so listen carefully to your sensations. To get started effective treatment, the doctor must determine why the jaw hurts. The exact cause of the disease will help you choose adequate and effective treatment.

Now we will take a closer look at the most serious cases that may be accompanied by jaw pain.

This is a necrotic process that develops in the heart muscle. This causes blockage coronary artery or severe narrowing of its lumen. This leads to the fact that blood circulation in this area is disrupted. The cause of the blockage is a sclerotic plaque. It is very important to immediately call at the first signs of myocardial infarction. ambulance" During the call, try to provide the most complete information about the patient’s condition, his age, and possible chronic diseases.

Myocardial infarction can be recognized by the following alarming symptoms:

  1. The patient feels a sharp pain in the chest and heart.
  2. After taking nitroglycerin, no noticeable improvements are observed (“anginal status”).
  3. Often the pain radiates to the left shoulder blade, arm, and lower jaw.
  4. Pain is felt in the pit of the stomach (if “gastralgic status” has developed).
  5. The feeling of suffocation is disturbing ("status asthmaticus" has developed).

Angina pectoris

For angina pectoris sharp pain appears in the chest area. This occurs because the blood supply to the heart muscle has been disrupted. After taking nitroglycerin, this pain should stop. Pain during angina radiates to the lower jaw, teeth, left shoulder blade, and arm.

Tetanus

This is an acute lesion of the nervous system. It is infectious in nature. At the same time, the person’s muscles become extremely tense and painful cramps begin.

Symptoms of tetanus:

  1. Due to the spasm of the masticatory muscles, trismus of the upper and lower jaw is observed. Happening prolonged cramp, and the patient cannot open his mouth.
  2. Difficulty swallowing food and even saliva (dysphagia).
  3. A “sardonic smile” appears.

We have listed the most alarming and dangerous diseases, which may cause jaw pain. If you ever notice one of these symptoms, contact an ambulance immediately!

Injuries and fractures

Very often, jaw pain is associated with some kind of injury. It could just be a bruise, or it could be a fracture. Often the cause is accidents, traffic accidents, fights, and domestic injuries. Injuries and fractures of the jaw require immediate assistance and qualified consultation from a professional. In such cases, you need to go to the emergency room or call an ambulance. If you have suffered a domestic injury or an accident, it is quite possible that you have a fracture. There are different types of fractures:

  • the debris is displaced or not;
  • single or multiple fractures;
  • closed or open.

It is important to immediately determine that a fracture has occurred. Signs of a fracture are as follows:

  1. A bruise or hematoma appeared.
  2. Difficulty chewing or speaking.
  3. The jaw fragments are displaced.
  4. Saliva is produced profusely.
  5. The bite has been changed.
  6. One part of the row has shifted relative to the other.

Jaw injury is deservedly considered one of the most unpleasant among all injuries associated with skeletal system. The most common jaw injuries are: dislocation, bruise, open or closed fracture, dental trauma. In this case, treatment is required immediately. Call an ambulance immediately or go to the emergency room. Compared to other bones in our body, the jaw bones have the ability to take a very long time to heal. In this case, the patient feels serious physical and psychological discomfort. Often after such injuries there are unpleasant consequences.

Types of jaw injuries:

  • injury;
  • fracture;
  • tooth injury.

Injury

Jaw bruising happens quite often. This injury is considered quite simple among facial injuries. Cause of injury: strong blow. In this case, the nature of the bruise will depend on how hard the object was involved in the blow, and how strong the blow itself was. The bruise should not be underestimated. It can cause headaches, deformation of the position of the teeth and the jaw itself, and loss of one or more teeth. And in young children, a bruised jaw with a strong blow can even provoke a brain tumor.

Symptoms of a jaw bruise:

  1. A sharp pain appeared at the site of the injury. With mechanical impact on the affected area, it intensifies.
  2. Swelling, hematomas, and redness appeared on the face. This is a consequence of the fact that the vessels were damaged during the impact.
  3. The lymph nodes are inflamed.
  4. While chewing and opening the mouth, a person feels pain.
  5. I had a headache.
  6. There was a fever.
  7. There is a general feeling of poor health.

First aid

With such a bruise, you need to apply a cold compress to the affected area, apply a bandage tightly, and provide the patient with peace until the ambulance arrives.

Fracture

A jaw fracture is an extremely serious injury. It can provoke dangerous consequences(meningitis, concussion, disorders of chewing, swallowing, etc.).

Symptoms:

  1. If the fracture is open, bleeding is observed from the wound.
  2. Extremely severe sharp pain, especially if you move your jaw.
  3. Nausea.
  4. Loss of consciousness.
  5. Malaise.
  6. The jaw became mobile.
  7. Hematomas appeared on the face.
  8. The functions of speech, breathing and swallowing are impaired.
  9. If the lower jaw is broken, the tongue may become stuck.

First aid

The fracture itself will be treated exclusively in a hospital or dental clinic. But before the ambulance arrives, it is important to competently provide first aid:

  1. Fix the broken jaw. She must remain completely still.
  2. All foreign bodies must be removed from the mouth.
  3. If necessary, fix your tongue (if you have difficulty swallowing and breathing).
  4. If there is bleeding, apply a tourniquet. Place a note under it with the exact time it was applied.
  5. Apply cold to the injury site.
  6. Provide the patient with complete rest.

Tooth injury

Tooth injury can be in the form of dislocation, bruise, fracture or crack. Also, similar injuries can be combined. The main reason is a strong blow to the jaw area. Less commonly, it can be triggered by very solid foods in food.

Symptoms:

  1. A sharp, severe pain appeared where the tooth was damaged.
  2. You can visually notice that the tooth has changed its size or position.
  3. In the affected area, the gums and tissue around it became red and swollen.
  4. If the injury is severe, bleeding may occur.
  5. The tooth became mobile.

First aid

The treatment itself will be carried out by the dentist. He will take into account the nature and location of the injury. A splint may need to be applied. In this case, the broken tooth is fixed with a rubber splint to healthy teeth. If the fracture was at the root, then the root can be removed and a prosthesis installed.

If a large force is applied to the facial area, then not only may the jaw break, but a concussion may also occur. As soon as there is even the slightest suspicion that this has happened, immediately go to a traumatologist or surgeon.

No one is immune from injury, but we have the power to protect ourselves. It is enough not to eat too hard foods, take care of your teeth and use them strictly for their intended purpose. You need to protect your face and jaws from injury. If you are into sports, use special mouthguards to protect your teeth and jaws.

Osteomyelitis

If a patient has developed osteomyelitis of the jaw bones, then an inflammatory process begins in this area, in the bone tissue. It is infectious in nature. In this case, pronounced clinical manifestations, which are difficult to miss or confuse with something. At first, the patient is bothered by pain near a certain tooth. Soon the necrotic process develops, the amount of pus grows, and the pain spreads to other teeth. Then, as it increases, the pain syndrome intensifies. The pain moves to the area eyeball, temple, ear. Osteomyelitis can be localized in both the lower and upper jaw. If the inflammatory process has affected the lower jaw, then the patient soon loses the sensitivity of the lower lip. He does not feel anything in the area of ​​the labial border, as well as the anterior part of the oral mucosa. Soon the sensitivity of the chin is lost. Moreover, the chin loses sensitivity in the direction where the infection occurred. Further, the patient's condition only gets worse. He begins to feel a high fever, the skin becomes very pale, and the patient himself becomes visibly lethargic.

Where the purulent process develops, the mucous membrane and gums become red, swollen, and swell. When pressing on them, the patient complains of acute pain. Then the teeth begin to loosen. Pus flows out from the gum area in large quantities. The lymph nodes become noticeably enlarged.

Damage to the temporomandibular joint

The lower and upper jaws are securely connected by the temporomandibular joint. It is his responsibility to ensure their mobility. In addition, ligaments, entire muscle groups, and cartilage are involved in this important process. It is very important that this system works smoothly and without interruption. After all, it is thanks to the mobility of our jaws that we can drink, eat, and talk. But sometimes, for certain reasons, the functioning of the temporomandibular joint is disrupted.

Symptoms of temporomandibular joint dysfunction:

  1. A headache appears. Which is very similar in nature to migraine. They are intense and exhausting.
  2. Pain appears in the ears and behind the eyes.
  3. When a person performs active movements jaw, he feels an obvious clicking sound.
  4. The jaw may suddenly close, although this had not previously occurred in this patient.
  5. The jaw may even jam.

Temporal arteritis

This is a chronic inflammation of large vessels in the carotid artery, as well as its numerous branches. This is observed mainly in older people.

Symptoms of temporal arteritis:

  1. There is a severe throbbing headache. They move to the temporal and occipital regions.
  2. Vision is impaired. There may be double vision (diplopia), transient blindness occurs, and visual perception becomes less clear.
  3. When the patient combs his hair or even just touches the scalp, he feels significant pain.
  4. There is noticeable weakness.
  5. Body weight is lost.
  6. Pain, nodules, and swelling appear in the area of ​​the temporal artery.

Carotidynia

It is believed to be a type of migraine. Its symptoms:

  1. The patient experiences constant aching pain in the upper part of the body.
  2. They radiate to the area of ​​the eye socket, ear, and lower jaw. The pain is often aching, monotonous and prolonged. Against this background, acute attacks of excruciating pain also occur. They last most often from five to ten minutes to an hour.
  3. The carotid artery area is swollen and painful on the side where the lesion occurred.

Carotidynia often results from temporal arteritis, migraine, temporal artery dissection, and the appearance of tumors in the carotid artery area. In any case, as soon as the first such symptoms appear, you should immediately go to the doctor.

Trigeminal neuralgia

This is a type of cranial neuralgia. The patient feels severe pain. They are shooting, painful. Localized in the area of ​​the ear and lower jaw. They are caused by irritation of the trigeminal nerve. This pathology is very easy to detect by localization strictly in a certain half of the face. At the same time, the second half of the face in pathological process not involved and appears healthy. In this case, a person feels a strong attack of pain at those moments when the trigeminal nerve touches the arteries and veins at the base of the skull. It is with pain in the jaw that such painful attacks begin. Because of this, many may confuse inflammation of the trigeminal nerve with dental disease.

Superior laryngeal nerve neuralgia

This pathology is easy to identify by the following symptoms:

  1. Intense attacks of pain appear in the lower jaw and larynx.
  2. Pain spreads to other areas:
  3. Eye socket, collarbone, ear. In this case, a cough and hiccups are observed.
  4. Saliva is produced intensely.
  5. Most often such attacks occur at night.
  6. Painkillers are ineffective. They are unable to relieve the resulting pain syndrome.
  7. When the patient swallows, turns his head, coughs, he immediately feels a shooting, sharp pain.

Neuralgia of the ear ganglion

Ear ganglion neuralgia can be diagnosed by the following symptoms:

  1. The patient feels paroxysmal pain in the temple area. It radiates to the chin, teeth, and lower jaw.
  2. There is a feeling of stuffiness in the ear.
  3. Saliva production increases.
  4. Often, the onset of a new attack is provoked by hypothermia of the face, neck, eating too cold or hot food, or the presence of a source of infection in the tissues nearby, which provoked the development of inflammation (tonsillitis, sinusitis, tonsillitis).

As you can see, pain in the jaw area cannot be ignored. This could be a signal from the body serious illness or injury. As soon as you feel discomfort, immediately rush to consult a qualified doctor. This could be a neurologist, dentist, or even a surgeon. If you contact a surgeon, he should be a specialist in maxillofacial surgery.

Before being examined by a doctor, you should follow some rules. You should not make any sudden movements with your jaws. You should also not eat food for now, so as not to provoke an even more serious condition. This is especially important if there is a suspicion that a jaw fracture has occurred. This can easily cause displacement of debris and acute pain.

If your child has jaw pain

Let us consider in detail what to do if your child begins to complain of pain in the jaw area, or you yourself notice that he is experiencing discomfort. There are specific childhood diseases that can cause pain in the jaw area.

Parotitis

Mumps is an infectious disease. It signals itself with the following alarming symptoms:

  1. Swelling appeared in the area of ​​the salivary, parotid and submandibular salivary glands. This is the result of infection.
  2. The oral mucosa dries out.
  3. The resulting focus of infection is characterized by pain.
  4. Seizures may develop. This happens because calcium metabolism in the body is disrupted. They are called tetany. Tetany manifests itself as convulsions and trismus of the masticatory muscles. In general, the muscles become like stone, and soreness appears. This applies to the muscles in which the cramps began.
  5. A spasm appears in the muscles of the respiratory system. Because of this, respiratory failure may develop.

Mumps is an extremely dangerous disease, so if you have even the slightest suspicion that this is it, call an ambulance immediately! You can’t hesitate here, as minutes count literally. If qualified assistance is not provided on time health care, the child may die from asphyxia.

Unfortunately, children are not always able to notice discomfort in time and tell their parents about the unpleasant impressions that have arisen. Therefore, a lot depends on the parents themselves. Always be attentive to your child! Pay attention to how he behaves, how active he is, whether he makes unusual movements with his head, whether he touches his face, jaw, or chin with his hands. If a child is in pain, he becomes whiny and capricious. This is the first symptom of the development of the disease. If a child is bothered by pain in the jaw area, he may often rub the sore area, touch it, cry and wince from the pain that appears.

Which doctor should you contact if you suspect that your child is suffering from pain in the jaw? If you notice that your child is not behaving as usual, or he himself has told you about pain, you should contact your dentist, pediatric surgeon, or pediatrician. Each of these doctors is responsible for the specific diseases of their area of ​​practice.

How to deal with this pain

Pain in the jaw is often very intense. It can be strong, paroxysmal and pulsating. How to deal with it? Let us emphasize once again that you cannot do this without a doctor. Delaying going to the doctor can be simply dangerous to your health and even your life. It is best if your doctor prescribes you an effective remedy to combat this pain.

If the pain is chronic, then your task is to dull the pain syndrome and relieve possible inflammation. Ibuprofen, Tylenol, and aspirin are suitable for this purpose. You can apply heat or cold to the sore jaw. It should help for a while. It is recommended to reduce caffeine intake. It can cause teeth clenching. You should not chew gum at this time, as this will put additional stress on the jaw. It is also helpful to try to relax your jaw as much as possible. Sometimes a light massage of the jaw, neck and shoulders helps. But we emphasize once again that this is temporary relief for chronic jaw pain. All the same, we need to establish its cause. This can only be done by a doctor based on the examination and tests performed.

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