Jaw pain: Causes, symptoms, and treatment

Written by Lori Smith BSN MSN CRNPReviewed by Debra Sullivan, PhD, MSN, CNE, COI

Last reviewed: Thu 27 April 2017 Last reviewed: Thu 27 Apr 2017

Jaw and facial pain is a common problem affecting millions of people worldwide. It causes many treatment challenges in the healthcare community when it comes to diagnosis and treatment.

As there are so many potential causes to jaw pain, correct diagnosis is vital. Doctors need to identify the exact cause in order to provide the best course of pain-relieving treatments.

Contents of this article:

Causes

Teeth grinding and arthritis may be causes of jaw pain but the most commonly reported is temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ).

There are several possible causes of jaw pain and these may be related to physical injury, nerve problems, or blood vessel problems.

The most commonly reported cause of jaw pain is temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ). The condition affects up to 12 percent of people. Nearly 5 percent seek medical treatment due to the severity of the problem. Women of childbearing age are most commonly affected by TMJ.

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TMJ collectively describes disorders of the temporomandibular joints, and the muscles responsible for jaw movement. These muscles are known as the masticatory muscles.
Other known causes of jaw or facial pain include conditions, such as:

Teeth grinding, clenching, or opening the mouth too wide: Most often, teeth grinding and clenching is experienced during sleep and can lead to tooth damage and jaw pain. It can also occur during periods of increased emotional stress.
Osteomyelitis: This is a condition where an infection in the body affects the bones and associated tissues.
Arthritis: Arthritic conditions, such as osteoarthritis and osteoarthrosis, which lead to the surface of bones wearing away.
Synovitis or capsulitis: These are conditions in which the lining of the joint or a connecting ligament becomes inflamed.
Dental conditions: These can include gum disease, cavities, tooth gaps, damaged teeth, or abscesses.
Sinus problems: These affect the nasal cavities.
Tension type headaches: Tension headaches are typically caused by stress and may lead to facial pain.
Neuropathic pain: This type of long-term pain occurs when nerves become damaged and send pain signals to the brain. This pain can be continuous or occur from time to time.
Vascular pain: This type of pain occurs when the supply of blood to part of the body is disrupted. It is caused by conditions that include giant cell arteritis and carotid artery dissection.
Neurovascular pain: This type of pain is caused by conditions that affect both the nerves and the blood vessels, such as migraine and cluster headaches.

Pain can also be caused by lifestyle-related factors, including emotional stress, sleep disturbances, a lack of certain nutrients, or tiredness.

Other conditions that may cause jaw and facial pain include rheumatoid arthritis, hypothyroidism, Lyme disease, multiple sclerosis, lupus, fibromyalgia, and some mental health conditions.

Symptoms

Jaw pain symptoms may include facial pain, earache, jaw locking, toothache, and facial swelling.

The presenting symptoms of jaw pain vary depending on the cause. They may include:

facial pain that worsens when the jaw is used
joint and muscle tenderness
limited range of motion
jaw alignment issues
clicking or popping sounds with opening or closing of the jaw
ringing in the ears
earaches
headaches with or without ear pain and pressure behind the eyes
dizziness
jaw locking
dull aching to sharp stabbing pain
becoming overly sensitive to pain
vertigo
toothache
tension headaches
nerve-type pain, such as burning
fever
facial swelling

Other symptoms may be present and these will depend on the root cause of the jaw pain.

It is important for people to seek prompt medical attention in order to work out the cause of their pain so that a treatment plan can be determined. Doing so swiftly can help prevent long-term complications from occurring. Dentists, oral surgeons, and doctors are able to evaluate jaw pain.

Complications

Complications vary based on the cause and other factors associated with your pain, including the treatments that are used. They may include:

dental complications
surgical complications
infection
chronic pain
emotional distress
changes in eating habits

Diagnosis

In order for a doctor to diagnose and treat the cause of jaw pain, they will need to perform certain tests.

The following tests may help them to find out more about the cause of jaw pain, including:

physical exam, including assessment of the nerves, neck bones, jaw, mouth, and muscles
complete medical and pain history
certain laboratory tests, such as an erythrocyte sedimentation rate blood test, used in the diagnosis of conditions involving pain
certain radiology imaging procedures, such as X-ray or MRI
psychological and psychiatric screening

Other tests may be needed if a clinician suspects that the jaw pain is caused by a particular disease. They will discuss what they recommend for diagnosing the cause of any jaw pain as necessary.

Treatments

If the cause of jaw pain is an infection, antibiotics may be prescribed by a healthcare professional.

Treatment of jaw pain depends on what the cause is. Treatment methods are varied and may include the following:

antibiotics if the jaw pain is caused by an infection
surgery to remove damaged bone, treat an affected nerve, or to diagnose the problem
use of a mouth protector, such as a mouth guard
physical therapy
muscle relaxants or tranquilizers to aid in relaxing the affected muscles
antidepressants, which can sometimes help treat painful conditions
topical capsaicin, which is helpful in treating some nerve-related conditions
steroid injections to decrease inflammation or swelling
antiviral therapy to treat viral infections, such as herpes zoster
pain medication
oxygen therapy and some prescription medications to treat cluster headaches
certain blood pressure medications when migraines are being treated
root canal treatment, a procedure to treat infections within teeth
tooth extraction if the cause is from an abnormal or infected tooth
vapo-coolant spray to relieve painful areas of muscle, called trigger points
injections with local anesthetics
stretching to stretch and sooth the affected muscles
relaxation therapy
soft diet to avoid excessive jaw movement and crunching
moist heat application or cold therapy
massage or acupuncture
use of correct posture to avoid neck and back strain

Other treatments are available to treat jaw pain, and their use is determined by the cause of the pain. Doctors can discuss the best method for treating pain with each person, based on their unique situation.

Prevention

Knowing the trigger of any jaw pain is important to prevent the pain from returning.
Some basic preventive measures may be useful, and these include:

avoiding crunchy foods, gum, chewing fingernails, or other hard objects
eating soft or liquid foods, such as soup or pasta
taking smaller bites of food
avoiding caffeine
trying massage, meditation, and aerobic exercise
taking calcium and magnesium supplements, if appropriate
avoiding yawning
sleeping on the back or side, avoiding stomach sleeping
avoiding grinding teeth
avoiding carrying bags on the shoulders for too long, switching shoulders frequently
using correct posture
seeking regular dental care

People should always speak to their doctor to determine the safety of any preventive measure to ensure it is appropriate for their unique situation.

When to see the doctor

It may be necessary for people to seek medical care for jaw pain if they are experiencing symptoms, such as:

failure of home remedies to treat jaw pain
jaw pain that interferes with a daily routine
irregular jaw motion
jaw joints making sounds when moving
neck or upper back pain
eye pain
headaches
ringing in the ear
dental problems, such as broken or worn teeth

People should speak with a dentist or doctor about jaw pain in order for diagnosis and treatment of the underlying condition.

Written by Lori Smith BSN MSN CRNP

Friday, May 12, 2017