If the jaw hurts, this is a rather dangerous signal indicating a possible disruption of the joints or various pathologies of the skeletal system. Disease...

Jaw hurts: main causes, diagnosis and treatment

By Masterweb

13.05.2018 16:00

If the jaw hurts, this is a rather dangerous signal indicating a possible disruption of the joints or various pathologies of the skeletal system. Soreness can also occur due to a malfunction of the internal organs. Before proceeding to fix the problem, it is imperative to determine why the jaw hurts.

It is important to undergo a comprehensive examination, according to the results of which the doctor will be able to choose the required treatment.

Pain in diseases

If the jaw hurts, then many immediately turn to the dentist, but the source of the problem may be hiding in serious ailments. These include:

• otitis;
• sinusitis;
• arthrosis;
• osteochondrosis;
• arthritis;
• malignant neoplasms;
• vascular pathology.

Sinusitis - dangerous disease causing significant discomfort. Inflammation in the area of ​​the maxillary sinuses may go unnoticed for a long time due to insufficiently good blood supply to this area. During the course of the disease, the upper jaw hurts very much, these painful sensations intensify when opening the mouth and making chewing movements. Aching pain occurs due to the proximity of the tooth roots.

With cervical osteochondrosis, the vertebral discs become thinner and gradually collapse, which leads to a deterioration in the blood supply to the cervical region. The pathological process involves blood vessels and nerve endings. With cervical osteochondrosis, the jaw hurts and gives into the teeth, but there are no dental problems. The pain impulse is dull in nature, passes from one side and gradually covers the entire head. The pain is aggravated by talking and chewing.

If the jaw and ear hurt, then this can be caused by otitis media. The fact is that the human hearing aid is very closely connected with the jaw joint, and when inflammation of the ears occurs, the pain also affects the jaw. With otitis media, there is a sharp pain in the jaw and ear. The pain syndrome increases significantly when trying to open the mouth, talking, swallowing. Soreness occurs suddenly and goes to the temple, neck, cheekbones. At the same time, the lymph nodes are enlarged.

With arthritis, there is a constant, aching pain in the lower jaw, which radiates to the ear area. Pain is aggravated by movement of the jaw. Arthrosis is characterized by the fact that during the course of the pathology, the ligaments are also affected. And the manifestations of this disease are almost the same as with arthritis.

If the lymph nodes under the jaw hurt, then this may be a sign of the presence of malignant neoplasms. Before the onset of pain, sensitivity disappears at the site of the lesion. In addition, patients report tingling and numbness. Gradually, the affected area swells, and joint pain occurs.

If the jaw near the ear is very sore, then this may be a sign of the development of benign neoplasms. A bump that forms in the behind-the-ear region is the result of inflammation of the cervical lymph node. When feeling the affected area, you can find a moving ball.

Also, pain can be observed with purulent pathologies. Osteomyelitis is considered the most dangerous, since when it occurs in a person, not only the bones, but also the surrounding ones are affected. soft tissues. Basically, this disease is of bacterial origin and occurs when various pathogenic bacteria enter the body. In this case, not only soreness is observed, but also severe swelling. The neck or ear may also be involved in the inflammation process.

The presence of pain in the lower jaw may also indicate cardiac pathology. In this case, the pain gives to the lower jaw and neck. If painful manifestations occur in the region of the heart and jaw, it is imperative to call an ambulance, as this may be a sign of a heart attack. If the jaw hurts, then this may also indicate problems with the carotid artery and a deterioration in its blood supply.

Soreness in the jaw structure can often manifest itself as a result of inflammation of the nerve endings. In this case, the patient feels burning, shooting pains, which are localized in the lower jaw and ear area. With some types of migraine, the jaw near the ear and lower part of the eye socket may also hurt. This sensation is very painful and prolonged, and the affected area becomes painful and swollen.

Injuries and fractures

Very often, if the jaw hurts on the left or right, it can be caused by trauma - both a simple bruise and a fracture. Often the cause is fights, accidents, domestic injuries. There are the following types of fractures:

• with debris displacement or not;
• closed or open;
• single or multiple.

The peculiarity of the jaw bones is that the regeneration process lasts for a long time. In this case, the victim feels severe discomfort, and after injuries may remain backfire.

Quite often there is a bruise of the jaw, which occurs due to hard hit. At the same time, its character largely depends on how strong the blow was. A bruise can provoke severe headaches, malocclusion, deformation of the position of the teeth or their loss.

dental problems

Soreness in the jaw area is often found in people who wear removable dentures and braces. In the process of correcting the bite, this is quite normal, since as a result of the treatment, the dentition is displaced. But pain can also occur due to the presence of dental diseases:

• pulpitis;
• caries;
• periodontitis;
• limited osteomyelitis;
• dental injuries;
• high sensitivity enamel.

The pain in this case can be aching in nature and intensify at night. Discomfort also occurs with inflammation of the gums, as well as in the presence of complications after tooth extraction.

Pain in a child

If the jaw hurts on the right or left of a child, then this can be caused by various injuries, fractures, dislocations, as well as diseases of the oral cavity. However, sometimes discomfort occurs for reasons that are rarely found in adults. These include mumps and tetany.

Parotitis or mumps is an acute infectious disease provoked by viruses that affects the salivary glands. With its development, there is a strong swelling in the jaw area. The swelling is accompanied by soreness, which is aggravated by pressure, high fever and dry mouth.

Tetany is a convulsive syndrome provoked by a violation of calcium metabolism in a child. This pathology is accompanied by convulsions, pain in the jaw, paresis of the masticatory muscles and involuntary grimaces.

It should be noted that soreness can also occur during teething in a child. At the same time, the baby also has signs such as irritability, anxiety and crying. Jaw pain can occur as a result of hypothermia, prolonged wearing of braces, and an abnormal structure of the jaw apparatus.

Main symptoms

If the jaw hurts, then this can be triggered by various diseases, injuries, as well as mental disorders. Each disease and pathology is characterized by its own symptomatology, which allows you to determine what exactly provoked the pain.

So, the first sign of sinusitis is a runny nose, and after a few days, symptoms of intoxication of the body join it. In the acute course of the disease, an intense, throbbing headache is characteristic. The pain impulse is bursting in nature, which increases significantly when the head is turned. The pain radiates to the forehead, jaw and intensifies with pressure.

The main symptom of cervical osteochondrosis is pain, which extends not only to the jaw and head, but also affects the shoulder girdle and sternum region. At the very beginning of the development of the disease, the pain syndrome occurs only in the evening and is accompanied by a feeling of heaviness in the back of the head. There is also tingling and numbness in the shoulders and arms. The head hurts, and when it is turned, a characteristic crunch is heard. Symptoms largely depend on the violations that occur during the course of the disease.

The main symptom of otitis media is pain impulses of varying intensity. In addition to the fact that the jaw and ear hurt, other symptoms are observed:

• dizziness;
• hearing loss;
• noise and ringing in the ears;
• temperature increase;
• discharge from the ear canal.

In acute otitis, the patient experiences excruciating boring pain. The development of a purulent form is accompanied by an increase in temperature.

In the presence of fractures, specialists distinguish the following signs:

• the occurrence of hematoma, bruising;
• fragment displacement;
• soreness and difficulty in moving the jaw;
• the presence of profuse salivation;
• change in bite;
• displacement of the dentition.

When the first signs of a fracture occur, it is imperative to call an ambulance or go to the emergency room.

Which doctor to contact

If your jaw hurts after going to the dentist, then you need to urgently visit this specialist. Consultation is not required only if a bracket system has been installed. In this case, pain can manifest itself during the formation of the correct bite and is quite natural. However, if the pain does not go away within 2 months, a dentist consultation is required.

If the jaw began to hurt after an injury, then you need to contact a trauma surgeon. This may indicate the presence of a dislocation, bruise or fracture. If your jaw hurts left-hand side) and gives to the neck, then this may be a sign of heart disease, so you need to consult a cardiologist.

If there is soreness and crunch in the neck, you need to visit a therapist, as this can be a sign of diseases such as bursitis, arthritis, sprain. In addition, if there is pain in the jaw, it may be necessary to consult a neurologist and an ENT specialist.

Carrying out diagnostics

If you experience pain in the jaw, you should definitely consult a doctor who will prescribe a diagnosis. On its basis, the correct treatment will be selected. Diagnosis involves a patient survey, visual examination, as well as laboratory and instrumental studies.

To make the correct diagnosis, the doctor may prescribe tomography, x-rays, and arthroscopy. This will help to understand exactly how the pathology develops, and choose a method of treatment.

Features of treatment

Treatment of dysfunctions of the jaw joint is carried out by a dentist. Difficult cases require a consultation with a surgeon. Treatment, as a rule, is quite laborious and lengthy, as it requires refilling of teeth, correction of bite, replacement of prostheses. Treatment of dysfunction of the jaw apparatus is carried out with the help of anti-inflammatory drugs. You can relieve pain at home with the help of compresses, ensuring complete rest, as well as the consumption of soft, frayed food.

If the doctor has found periodontitis, cyst or pulpitis, surgery may be prescribed, as only this will eliminate the pain. As soon as the wound heals, the discomfort should completely go away.

In the presence of diseases associated with ENT organs, inflammation of soft tissues, as well as neuralgia, are prescribed medical preparations and physiotherapy procedures.

In the presence of migraines, the doctor prescribes painkillers, as well as antidepressants. For the treatment of abscesses, their opening and removal of purulent contents are shown. The presence of a tumor requires surgery, as well as chemotherapy and radiation.

Medical treatment

Drug therapy should be prescribed only by a qualified doctor. Self-medication can lead to a deterioration in well-being and an uncontrolled reaction of the body. The following drugs are used to treat pain:

• anti-inflammatory drugs;
• preparations for the renewal of cartilage tissue;
• vitamins;
• intraarticular injections.

Women may also be prescribed hormone therapy, especially during menopause under the supervision of an endocrinologist or gynecologist. Physiotherapy, massage also have a good result.

Folk remedies

For a faster recovery, you can additionally use funds traditional medicine. Can be used as grinders alcohol tincture acacia or mummy. In addition, you can take mummy inside, dissolving it first in warmed milk and adding honey.

Compresses with a decoction of chamomile flowers help well, which must be applied to the affected area. Fir oil has a warming effect, which can be rubbed into the skin. However, this should be done very carefully, as this remedy can provoke an allergy.

Prevention

After treatment, certain preventive measures must be observed to avoid the recurrence of the disease. Please dress appropriately for the weather and do not go out in strong winds. In the presence of viral infection- immediately undergo treatment. You should try to avoid stressful situations.

As a preventive measure, hardening of the body can be carried out. good remedy is a contrast shower that helps maintain immunity at the required level. Periodically, massage should be carried out, as well as ensure proper nutrition.

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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 are described, which are characterized by pain in the human dentition and how to get rid of it.

Causes of pain

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

• chewing muscles that provide mechanical processing of food;
• mimic muscles reflecting the variety of human emotions.

Pain in the jaw area can be unilateral and bilateral in nature, localized on the left and right. Common reasons for its appearance are:

• trauma;
• nerve inflammation;
• dental diseases, dental procedures;
• diseases of the jaw joint;
• erythrootalgia - red ear syndrome;
• inflammatory, purulent diseases of the soft tissues of the face;
• injuries, mechanical irritation by wearing braces;
• carotidinia;
• lockjaw;
• radiating pain in heart disease;
• malignant tumor.

Injuries

The least damage is caused by bruising and the swelling of soft tissues caused by it.

A strong blow can cause:

1. Fracture.
2. A crack in the bone.
3. Jaw joint injury.
4. Dislocation.

The most severe injuries are observed with a fracture, they cause suffering to the patient, limit the possibilities. With a fracture, the jaw hurts even in the absence of attempts to speak or chew.

It is not difficult for an experienced surgeon, the signs of which are:

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

Do not try to deal with a dislocation on your own. Instead of the desired cure, you can achieve the opposite result and only complicate the task of the surgeon.

Neuralgia

Soreness can occur due to inflammation of the nerves that innervate the face.

Acute pain occurs with inflammation:

• upper laryngeal;
• glossopharyngeal.

The trigeminal nerve provides a connection between the facial muscles, facial muscles of the face and the brain. It has many branches, and during inflammation, not a specific area hurts, but the entire side. Drilling is characterized by high intensity, the attacks intensify at night.

Inflammation of the superior laryngeal nerve is accompanied by unilateral discomfort, aggravated by attempts to chew, blow your nose, yawn. A person can be tormented by hiccups, cough and.

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 for several minutes.

Osteomyelitis

The serious condition of the patient and severe pain is noted in patients with osteomyelitis of the jaw, it occurs when the bone tissue is infected with bacteria (dangerous complications).

According to the method of infection, osteomyelitis is distinguished:

• odontogenic - bacteria enter the bone tissue through an aching tooth;
• hematogenous - disease-causing agents penetrate the bone with blood flow, spreading from foci of infection in the body;
• traumatic.

In 75% of cases, odontogenic osteomyelitis of the lower jaw is noted, it is often the cause.

Hematogenous osteomyelitis is less common, the disease develops as a complication of typhoid, diphtheria, scarlet fever or influenza. When infected through the blood, pain occurs in the jaw, not affecting the teeth.

A traumatic appearance develops when an open fracture of the jaw becomes infected. It is rarely observed, only in cases of infection entering the bloodstream through an open wound.

Wisdom teeth

The cause of pain may be the growth of wisdom teeth. Most of all, their growth from below delivers trouble. The pain from the inflamed hood over the wisdom tooth radiates to the lower jaw, surrounding soft tissues.

The appearance of soreness in the jaw is often accompanied by incorrect eruption of the tooth - pericoronitis, manifested by:

1. Pain when opening the mouth.
2. Inflammation of the gums.
3. Infection of the inflamed gums with the development of periostitis.

The wisdom tooth can be located horizontally and in this case, painkillers will not help, and only surgical treatment will be necessary. In violation of the eruption of the upper wisdom teeth, pain is felt from above, under the ears.

Lockjaw

Pain is also noted with tonic spasm of the chewing muscles, in which movement is limited, the temporomandibular joint is spasmodic. Muscle spasms are caused by:

• tetanus;
• meningitis;
• epilepsy;
• brain tumor.

With lockjaw, trying to open the jaw is extremely painful.

Arteritis of the facial artery

Arteritis is the inflammation of arterial blood vessels. Discomfort is felt in the lower part of the head, pain extends to the angle of the lower jaw and chin. Affects:

• lips;
• gives to the corners of the eyes.

Severe pain with arteritis is felt when pressing on the lower jaw at the point of inflection of the facial artery.

Minor discomfort during the first time after the installation of braces should not cause concern. But if the pain intensifies, do not hesitate to visit the orthodontist.

When installing braces are noted:

1. Pain in the lower jaw.
2. Non-closure of the mouth.
3. Loosening, with improper tension of the braces.
4. Toothache when chewing.

The bracket system is installed for a long time, so you should not endure excruciating pain all this time, drinking them down, immediately contact a specialist.

Carotidynia

Carotidinia is a variant of migraine caused by:

• temporal arteritis;
• diseases of the carotid artery;
• a tumor that mechanically displaces the carotid artery.

Pain with carotidinia lasts several hours, is unilateral, radiates to the lower jaw, teeth, ear, and neck.

Pain in the upper jaw - what to do?

If you have pain in the jaw, you should consult a dentist to determine the exact cause of the disease. Dental diseases more often than other causes are a source of pain, and treatment should begin with the dentist's office.

A dentist can deal with dental health issues such as:

Surgical methods of treatment in dentistry have long been gentle, humane and painless. And the sooner the patient starts the treatment of a carious tooth, the less he risks getting acute osteomyelitis of the jaw.

Also, don't use it yourself. folk remedies for the treatment of inflammation of the gums with the growth of a wisdom tooth. The doctor will make a small, completely painless incision, which will allow the tooth to grow properly without causing inflammation.

If the dentist does not detect diseases in the patient according to his profile, he will refer him to the following specialists: neuropathologist, maxillofacial surgeon, traumatologist, infectious disease specialist, cardiologist.

Pain in the jaw is also one of the signs of myocardial infarction, and a patient who does not have dental problems, with discomfort in the jaw, must be referred to a cardiologist for a consultation.

Soreness in the jaw can also be caused by the growth of a malignant tumor of facial tissues, often asymptomatic. A sign of sarcoma may be pain that radiates to the ear when the jaw is pressed.

With an increase in its size, pathologies of the facial bones occur, visually manifested:

• facial asymmetry;
• difficulty opening the jaws, chewing food;
• change in the thickness of the facial bones.

The chance of being cured of a cancerous tumor of the face is much higher with an early visit to the doctor.

Video: why does pain occur in the jaw joint?

How to get rid of pain in the lower jaw?

Pain caused by neuralgia of the glossopharyngeal or superior laryngeal nerve is treated with medication. In the absence of a result of treatment, the nerve is stopped.

With inflammation of the hood over the erupting wisdom tooth, you will need:

• antiseptics for local rinsing;
• antipyretic drugs at high temperature;
• painkillers;
• antibiotics with the threat of suppuration and the development of osteomyelitis.

Most effective method treatment for pain in the jaw from a wisdom tooth - surgical. If the patient continues to endure pain, then the inflammation may be complicated by osteomyelitis or sepsis.

When bone tissue is infected with pyogenic bacteria, they resort to medical methods of treatment, the patient is prescribed antibiotics for purulent inflammation of soft tissues:

• furunculosis;
• phlegmon;
• abscess.

Severe pain in the jaw is characteristic of all types of purulent inflammation. In the case of phlegmon, the pain is accompanied severe swelling, and with an abscess, purulent fusion (necrosis) of tissues is noted.

Taking painkillers is not able to eliminate the problem and cure the disease. The prognosis of the disease depends on the timeliness of contacting qualified medical specialists.

Video: exercises for jaw pain.

It is quite difficult to understand why the upper jaw hurts. Unlike the lower jaw, which can be injured in many ways, the upper jaw is the basis for the teeth and the resulting pain is often attributed to them.

However, her bones make up the structure of the nasal cavity, hard palate, eye sockets, and the maxillary sinus is located here. Therefore, pain may be a symptom of dental or ENT diseases, or indicate other disorders.

This is a purulent infectious inflammation that covers the components of the jawbone. The disease develops when Staphylococcus aureus, Gram-negative bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli enter the body. Infection with pathogenic viruses and bacteria occurs by the hematogenous route or through diseased teeth.

Osteomyelitis is accompanied by severe pain in the jaw, fever, lack of appetite. There may be headaches, insomnia, general weakness.

Most often, an odontogenic form of pathology is diagnosed, which occurs due to the lack of dental treatment. In such cases, the pain will be localized in the zone of the carious tooth, mucosal edema and an increase in the perimaxillary lymph nodes may be observed.

Osteomyelitis is a serious problem that needs urgent treatment. See for yourself:

After surgery Option before surgery

Oksana Shiyka

Dentist-therapist

It is because of the complexity of self-diagnosis, in the presence of prolonged pain, it is recommended to consult a doctor. You can start with a therapist or dentist.

Dental diseases

Various diseases of the oral cavity most often cause pain from the side. Among them are the following:

1. Caries and tooth decay irritate the nerve endings, which causes pain.
2. A complication of caries can lead to the development of pulpitis - inflammation of the soft tissues adjacent to the teeth. This is also accompanied by pain.

   

   Scheme of the occurrence of pulpitis.

3. Periodontitis is an inflammation of the gums, tissues surrounding the teeth. It can provoke the formation of an abscess - an abscess located next to the tooth.
   
   
4. A cyst formed on the root of a tooth can be the reason that reduces the jaw.
   
   
5. After a poor-quality tooth extraction, the development of alveolitis is possible - inflammation in the jaw sockets.
   
   
6. Very often, the eruption of the upper wisdom teeth is accompanied by pain and fever.
   
   
7. Another reason is periostitis, in the common people - flux. The inflammatory process is caused by neglected caries, angina, and infectious diseases of the oral cavity. The focus of pus formed in the root of the tooth affects the pulp, then the inflammation passes to the periosteum.
   
   
   The inflamed gum swells, a flux forms, the patient is tormented by aching and throbbing pain in the gum. Periostitis is recognized as the most dangerous type of this pathology, entailing the most unpleasant consequences, up to death.
8. Pain after dental treatment and anesthesia. Often, anesthesia is used in the treatment and prosthetics of teeth, since local anesthesia blocks the nerve impulse and makes it possible for the dentist to do more work. However, when the analgesic effect wears off, pain occurs.
9. Gingivitis is a disease in which the lining of the gums becomes inflamed. The pathological process is accompanied by pain, the jaw reduces when chewing solid food and tightly closing the teeth.
   
   
10. When wearing braces, at first the gums hurt and the jaw reduces. Pain is present in the first days after the installation of braces. If it lasts longer than two weeks, you should contact the orthodontist to adjust the arc.

These problems are eliminated by the dentist, since they (except for braces) are caused by diseases of the teeth and gums. It is important to take preventive measures in a timely manner: treat caries, remove tartar and strengthen the gums.

trigeminal neuralgia

The disease is characterized by compression, irritation or inflammation of the trigeminal nerve. It covers the entire face and has many branches. One of its main branches passes through the upper jaw. For this reason, with inflammation of the trigeminal nerve, the patient may have complaints of a burning, penetrating pain in the teeth, gums, and tongue. The pains are paroxysmal in nature and often affect one side of the face.

The disease can be caused:

• hypothermia;
• pathology of the paranasal sinuses;
• herpes;
• viral infections.

Oksana Shiyka

Dentist-therapist

The disease can develop in people with impaired metabolism, after a facial injury or a previous cardiovascular pathology.

Trigeminal neuralgia is not easy to cure; complex therapy is prescribed to relieve symptoms, consisting of taking pharmaceuticals, physiotherapy and folk treatment.

Acute and chronic maxillary sinusitis

The causes of the pain syndrome can be hidden in the inflammatory process localized in the maxillary sinuses. Spreading inflammation can affect the periosteum and bone tissue. Unpleasant sensations can be present both in the jaw on the left and in the jaw on the right. The pain can be aggravated by tilting the head or by contact of the face with other objects.

Acute maxillary sinusitis can be caused by:

• transferred rhinitis;
• scarlet fever;
• caries.

The infection can also penetrate into the sinuses by the hematogenous route. Often, bilateral maxillary sinusitis develops due to a deviated septum or injury.

The disease is treated with a conservative method, including taking antibacterial and vasoconstrictor drugs, or a puncture of the maxillary sinus is performed.

Oncology

Painful attacks may indicate the presence of a tumor. Oncology in the oral cavity is always accompanied by pain. Patients may complain of jaw cramps when eating, talking, and opening their mouths.

A tumor can be benign or malignant in origin. In patients with a tumor, facial asymmetry, thickening of the jaw bones and their deformation are observed.

Temporal arteritis is a special form of vasculitis, characterized by damage to the walls of blood vessels. The autoimmune disease produces giant cells that attack the walls of the arteries. At the same time, in addition to a throbbing headache, a person may experience pain in the jaw when chewing and swallowing.

The main treatment for temporal arteritis is corticosteroid therapy.

The causes of primary arteritis are poorly understood, the disease also has a genetic predisposition. Presumably it is provoked by viruses and bacteria.

Inflammation of the middle ear

The disease is accompanied by a pathological process in one or more parts of the ear cavity. As a rule, otitis media occurs against the background of a previous viral disease. Infection from the nasopharynx spreads to the middle ear mucosa and develops an inflammatory process.

Oksana Shiyka

Dentist-therapist

The disease is accompanied by severe pain in the ear, fever, shooting in the ears. In addition to pain in the jaw, in some cases it also hurts in the throat.

Antibiotics, ear drops, compresses are used to treat inflammation of the middle ear.

Bruises and dislocations

Bruises and dislocations resulting from a fall, fight, playing sports injure the soft tissue and its bone structure, resulting in swelling and pain. With a dislocation, the symmetry of the face changes, speech worsens, and the swallowing process is disturbed.

Pain can be caused by a fracture: then it is especially pronounced when the teeth are closed.

Here, without the help of a traumatologist, the problem cannot be solved. First aid includes transport immobilization. With a pronounced pain syndrome, anesthesia is performed.

Oksana Shiyka

Dentist-therapist

If it reduces the jaw and at the same time torments headache, then this may indicate fatigue, nervous tension and migraines. This condition can also be caused by long sedentary work or lack of fresh air.

As you can see, pain in the upper jaw on the left or right side can indicate both normal overwork and oncology. That is why they should be the reason for contacting a specialist. Diagnosis will help to establish the true cause of the pain syndrome, after which competent treatment of the identified disease will be required.

There are many reasons why the jaw can hurt on the left side, right side, top or bottom. Diseases of the teeth, ears, air sinuses, lymph nodes, gums, soft tissues of the face, some internal organs and the jaws themselves can lead to such an unpleasant symptom. To find out the correct diagnosis and start proper treatment, you need to go through a lot of diagnostic measures, so if disturbing jaw pain occurs, you should immediately consult a doctor.

The most common reasons why the jaw hurts

More often, throbbing pain manifests itself in the lower jaw on the left or right, damage to opposite bone tissues occurs much less frequently. In both cases, the most common causes of discomfort include:

• complex tooth extraction;
• wisdom tooth eruption;
• dental diseases;
• fracture;
• osteomyelitis;
• osteogenic sarcoma.

Difficult tooth extraction

Pain in the jaw can occur due to complex tooth extraction. Usually, when it is necessary to cut the gums or saw the tooth itself into several parts. Even if all precautions have been taken, after such an operation, swelling appears in the lower part of the face, inflammation may begin. Usually, postoperative pain disappears 2-3 days after the procedure, if it is not accompanied by fever and other negative symptoms, you should not worry.

Wisdom tooth eruption

The lower or opposite jaw may hurt due to an atypical wisdom tooth eruption. By the time of its growth, there is no more free space left in the dentition, so the figure eight often begins to erupt in the wrong direction. In the best case, the molar will come out at a slight angle or rest against the adjacent tooth, at worst, it will turn towards the jawbone, then aching pain will gradually increase in its area.

It will not work to independently determine why the jaw hurts and breaks on the left or right side. This can be done only in the conditions of dentistry, so do not hesitate to contact a specialist.

Dental diseases

Tooth diseases, the pain from which can radiate to the jaw, include:

• deep caries;
• pulpitis - inflammation of the nerve of the tooth;
• periodontitis - inflammation of the layer between the tooth and the bone;
• cyst - a purulent bubble in the gum;
• fistula - purulent inflammation at the root of the tooth, coming out through the soft tissues.

Usually, with such diseases, the tooth hurts so much that it radiates to the jaw. Often the symptoms are exacerbated by fever, soft tissues may swell. When pressure is applied to the cheek or gum, the toothache usually gets worse.

With a serious injury to the lower part of the skull, a jaw fracture is possible, usually such injuries appear after serious incidents. With a fracture, the jaw hurts so much that it is not difficult to identify the cause of the manifestation.

Pain in the damaged area increases with pressure, opening the mouth, chewing and any other movement of the jaw. Asymmetry appears on the face. Usually it occurs due to the fact that the cheek is swollen, but the displacement of the bone at an unnatural angle can also be the reason for this.

An open fracture is always accompanied by severe bleeding, with such an injury, the victim should be given emergency medical care.

Osteomyelitis is an infection of the bones of the jaw. The cause of the pathology can be a neglected disease of the teeth, only in rare cases the infection penetrates the bone tissue in another way.

Osteomyelitis is accompanied by pain in the upper or lower jaw, fever and general malaise. Unpleasant sensations are aggravated by pressure and have a pulsating character, an abscess (accumulation of pus) may develop.

Treatment of complicated osteomyelitis consists of surgical removal of the infected tissue and further antibiotic therapy. Rehabilitation after an illness sometimes takes more than one week.

Osteogenic sarcoma

Sarcoma is a type of malignant bone tumor. More often, because of it, the upper jaw hurts on the left or right, but sometimes it also develops in the lower bone tissues. An additional symptom of the disease is numbness in the region of the upper or lower jaw, even bone deformity is possible.

Treatment for sarcoma consists of removing the tumor and chemotherapy. If treatment is started on time, the chance of a full recovery will be 80%.

Why only the upper jaw hurts

All of the previously listed factors can lead to pain in the upper part of the face, but there are reasons that are unique to it:

• sinusitis - inflammation of the maxillary sinuses;
• dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint;
• neuralgia of the ear node or trigeminal nerve;
• carotidinia.

Pain in the jaw for such reasons is dangerous for human health, many of these diseases require complex and lengthy treatment.

Sinusitis

In the human skull there are several maxillary sinuses - voids in the bone. Each is lined with a vulnerable mucous membrane that can be affected by infection. If the jaw hurts only on the right or left, then the sinus near the ear is inflamed. However, much more often this disease manifests itself in the nose.

Dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint

The temporomandibular joint is needed to connect the jaw to the base of the skull. Violation of its work leads to pain in the upper jaw and may be due to various reasons, the most common of them:

• inflammation of the masticatory muscles;
• malocclusion;
• osteoarthritis is the rapid aging of cartilage.

When the temporomandibular joint is damaged, the whole head hurts, and not just the jaw. The pain syndrome spreads to the temples, cheeks and even the forehead. It is difficult for a person to move his mouth, eat and talk. Each opening of the mouth is accompanied by jaw clicks.

Neuralgia of the ear node or trigeminal nerve

Usually, with such a disease, only one side of the jaw hurts, the duration of pain attacks can reach several hours. Discomfort often manifests itself in the upper jaw, but can also go to the lower. A person has the feeling that all his teeth are breaking.

The epicenter of pain in trigeminal neuralgia is the temporal area, when you press on this area, it becomes unbearably painful.

Carotidynia

Carotidinia is a type of migraine. With it, throbbing pain in the upper jaw occurs in attacks that last for several hours. Unpleasant sensations begin to appear in the upper part of the face, in the ear area, and sometimes in the neck. At the peak of the attack, pain affects the entire face.

Usually, carotidinia is a symptom of other diseases that themselves cause pain in the lower part of the face. These include damage to the nerves or joints, head injuries.

Why only the lower jaw hurts

Discomfort in the lower jaw and chin area is usually due to the following reasons:

• inflammation of the lymph nodes;
• arteritis of the facial artery;
• neuralgia;
• myocardial infarction.

Much more often, a person has pain in the lower jaw, the reasons being that it is more prone to injury - the upper bone is less vulnerable.

Inflammation of the lymph nodes

In the neck of a person there is an accumulation of lymph nodes that are responsible for the production of lymphocytes involved in the immune defense of the body. Sometimes the nodes become inflamed, which is accompanied by pain in the lower jaw on the left or on the opposite side. The inflammatory process is one-sided, and therefore the pain is localized in a certain place.

In an advanced case, inflammation of the lymph nodes can be diagnosed on its own, since the soft tissues of the neck swell up greatly, and seals appear on them.

Arteritis of the facial artery

The entire human body is permeated with arteries and vessels. With inflammation of the vessels and arteries located in the head area, arteritis develops, which leads to jaw pain. Most often, this disease is localized in the area where the carotid and facial arteries pass near the angle of the lower jaw and its base. There they bend, and therefore suffer more often.

With arteritis, at first only the lower jaw and chin aches, with the development of the disease, discomfort radiates to the corners of the mouth and the nose area.

Neuralgia

Near the lower jaw are the superior laryngeal and glossopharyngeal nerves. When they are damaged, neuralgia occurs, which causes pain in the jaw. The following factors lead to the development of the disease:

• trauma;
• infectious diseases;
• hypothermia.

The pain manifests itself in the form of seizures, aggravated by pressure. Sometimes there is reddening of the skin, in rare cases, cramps in the muscles of the neck are possible.

myocardial infarction

One of the non-obvious symptoms of a heart attack is discomfort in the lower part of the face. Heart pain goes up the nerve endings and gives to the lower jaw and chin. The patient has a feeling that his jaw breaks, and his teeth hurt, but it is not possible to recognize the cause of such symptoms. In many people, the ache extends to the shoulders and arms and can be given to the right and left side. People with ischemic disease hearts sometimes reveal attacks precisely by the nature of the pain.

What to do if your jaw hurts

If severe pain is accompanied by fever, and the soft tissues of the face are noticeably swollen, you need to call an ambulance. The same should be done if the pain arose after a bruise of the jaw region. In these cases, the discomfort is caused either by a fracture or infection. Both pathologies can be dangerous not only for health, but also for life.

In other cases, you need to make an appointment with a therapist. He will conduct an initial examination, ask about any additional symptoms, and send you for an x-ray. Usually, work with a therapist ends here, since he only identifies the cause of the pain, and then directs the patient to a narrow specialist: a dentist, surgeon, otolaryngologist, neurologist. What to do for a patient who has pain and aches in the lower or upper jaw is decided by a narrow profile doctor.

To reduce pain before going to the doctor, you can take the following drugs:

• Aspirin;
• Analgin;
• Paracetamol;
• Ibufen;
• Ketorol;
• Ketanov.

Be sure to give up solid food, try to reduce the load on the jaw as much as possible. If there is confidence that the pain is related to the teeth, you can apply a cold compress to your face. It will reduce discomfort and reduce swelling.

If the pain is localized in the upper jaw on the right or on the left side, cold compresses should be discarded. In some diseases associated with the facial nerves, cold is contraindicated, as it can only increase inflammation.

Pain in the jaw area rarely speaks of diseases that do not require urgent treatment. It is almost always necessary to immediately contact a specialist.

Pain in any part of the body is alarming, especially if the jaw hurts on the left side or on the opposite side, because in this case it is difficult for a person not only to chew and swallow, but also to speak and smile.

The main factors provoking pain in the jaw area

There can be many reasons for such discomfort, and sometimes pain in the jaw on the left or right signal very dangerous diseases, including cancer. Most patients who are faced with such a problem rush to visit the dentist, but not always pain in the jaw indicates problems with the teeth.

Most often, discomfort in this part of the body is the result of inflammatory or infectious diseases, various injuries, pathologies of peripheral vessels and nerves, and the formation of tumors. Thus, pain in the left and (or) right side of the face is a signal of a disease not only of the jaws themselves, but also of the ENT organs, lymph nodes, masticatory muscles, tongue and gums, nervous system. Only a thorough diagnosis will help to identify the cause in time and prevent possible complications that may occur in some diseases.

Incorrect bite often causes discomfort in the jaw area when chewing or talking. Any orthodontist can visually determine the presence of a problem, but the diagnosis should be clarified using such a modern method as a panoramic picture of the teeth, which allows you to see the entire dentition as a whole. Pain of this nature can also occur in children during the formation of a permanent dentition, and in adolescents.

The maxillofacial surgeon often sees patients who have suffered facial injuries. The stronger the injury, the more intense the pain. Minor bruising of the soft tissues, when the bones are not affected, is accompanied by acute pain, bruising or swelling. These symptoms may go away on their own after a few days, but an x-ray is still necessary to rule out bone damage.

Another difficult injury is a dislocation. It can occur both as a result of a blow, and with a sharp opening of the mouth, even when a person laughs a lot. Such injuries accompany those who like to open crusts and lids with their teeth, peel nuts, especially if there is a disease in the joints: arthritis, rheumatism or gout.

At the moment of dislocation, you can feel a click, after which there is a sharp pain in the lower jaw and temporomandibular joint. The fact that such a nuisance as a dislocation has occurred is evidenced by the fact that a person cannot close his mouth, and with the least effort experiences unbearable pain. The lower jaw may move forward and skew to one side. Speech impairment does not even allow the victim to explain what happened to him after all. Full swallowing is out of the question, so saliva is secreted from the mouth in abundance.

The surgeon determines the dislocation visually, adjusts it immediately by hand to alleviate the suffering of the patient, but the control picture is still taken in order to exclude a fracture, which is the most difficult consequence of the injury.

When the jaw is fractured, the injured side can hurt so badly that pain medication is needed. Any fracture, even without displacement, requires immediate medical attention.

If the displacement is diagnosed by X-ray, the doctor will perform surgery and install the tire. Aching pain after the healing of the fracture may indicate that the neck or ligaments of the teeth and gums were damaged by the fixing wire. Sometimes there is a repeated fracture or fragments are displaced, which provokes pain, swelling and hemorrhage. Prolonged pain indicates that the nerves were damaged during the injury. In some cases, a second operation may be required.

Purulent-inflammatory diseases as a cause of jaw pain

Diseases of this nature can provoke pathological processes in soft tissues (cellulitis, abscesses, boils) and bone tissues (osteomyelitis). With furunculosis, purulent foci are on the skin, which excludes any other disease. With proper treatment, the abscesses disappear, and the pain goes away on its own. But self-treatment is not recommended, as this is fraught with infection in the brain.

Phlegmon and (or) abscesses are most susceptible to soft tissues of the tongue zone and the bottom of the oral cavity, while the patient complains of acute pain in the jaw or under it due to damage to the lymph nodes, swelling in this part of the face, elevated body temperature. Peritonsillar abscess is one of the complications of angina and is determined by its location on both sides of the tonsil.

Pain in pathological processes in the region of the temporomandibular joint

In arthrosis, arthritis and joint dysfunction, pain in the jaw on one or both sides extends into the ear and very rarely only ear pain occurs, due to which the problem can be confused with otitis media. The pathological process never disappears without treatment, and in some cases spreads very quickly.

Arthrosis is characterized by:

• constant aching pain;
• crunching or noise accompanying movements in the jaw area;
• a significant increase in pain with intensive chewing, swallowing, when the mouth opens strongly;
• morning stiffness of the joint.

Only a dental surgeon can diagnose arthrosis through an X-ray study, since this set of symptoms is also characteristic of other diseases, including arthritis.

With arthritis, the pain is characterized by different intensity: slight discomfort is replaced by excruciating night pains. The affected joint crunches and makes noise, it is stiff in the morning. Correct Diagnosis easily established by radiography.

Various kinds of injuries, inflammatory processes, bite pathologies can cause dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint, in which pain occurs when the patient chews, yawns, tightly clenched his teeth, and recedes in a calm state. With this pathology, pain radiates to the temple, forehead or cheek, jaw movements are constantly difficult, and a click is felt at the slightest movement. Diagnosis is the same as for arthritis and arthrosis.

These are the most dangerous reasons why the jaw hurts on one or both sides. The difficulty lies in the fact that initial stages pathological process pain syndrome may be completely absent, which does not immediately lead the patient to the doctor's office. Chronic pain in most cases indicates that the disease is running. Jaw tumors can be benign or malignant.

Among benign formations meet:

• osteoid osteoma (the tumor does not grow so fast that it can be seen in time, it is accompanied by night pains, but when it grows, the neoplasm causes severe asymmetry of the face);
• osteoblastoclastoma (formation begins with mild aching pains with a slight increase in body temperature, but over time a fistula forms and the face becomes distorted);
• adamantinoma (the tumor starts from a thickening of the jaw, grows rapidly and is accompanied by pain, especially when chewing).

All benign tumors are surgically removed because they interfere with the normal functioning of the body and can develop into malignant tumors, the symptoms of which are very similar. Often, only after surgery and a special study, it can be said with certainty whether a benign or malignant tumor has been removed.

Malignant formations of the jaws are much less common than other organs, but their consequences can be very serious. This is due to the fact that there are a lot of soft tissues in the jaw area and the tumor grows very quickly, especially when it comes to a connective tissue tumor (sarcoma), which kills a person in a short time, and begins painlessly. On the contrary, a person should be alerted by a decrease in the sensitivity of the skin and mucous membranes on the affected side.

Discomfort in the jaw area can be caused by vascular pathologies, since the blood flow in this part of the body is disturbed. Such diseases include arteritis of the facial artery and damage to the carotid artery.

In the first case, the pain is burning in nature, occurs along the lower edge of the chin or in the area upper lip and wings of the nose, that is, at the point of inflection of the facial artery. Discomfort can also be felt in the eye area.

The pathology of the carotid artery is characterized by the spread of pain from the lower jaw under it, into the neck, teeth, ear. Discomfort is aggravated by probing the carotid artery. For the treatment of vascular diseases, special drugs are used.

Under the jaw are submandibular lymph nodes, which can become inflamed, causing pain (lymphadenitis). Sharp pains are accompanied by fever and malaise. On palpation, an enlarged lymph node is determined, it is painful. The disease can quickly progress to chronic form, reminding of itself with periodic complications and parallel purulent-inflammatory pathologies, which were discussed above. The lymph nodes may have malignant tumors, which in most cases are metastases of already existing tumors in the jaw.

Pain in the region of the jaws of different localization and intensity can occur with inflammation of the salivary glands (sialadenitis) and their tumors, pharyngitis, acute and chronic tonsillitis, tumors of the larynx. Sinusitis, sinusitis, parotitis are also accompanied by pain under the lower jaw.

Not so often, pain in the lower jaw can become a signal of angina pectoris, myocardial infarction. At the same time, they are accompanied by discomfort behind the sternum and are localized exclusively under the left jaw. An examination by a cardiologist will clarify the situation and help avoid serious complications.

Regardless of why the jaw hurts, it is necessary to contact the clinic in order to make a thorough diagnosis and prescribe the correct treatment.