Various Causes of Jaw Pain and How to Overcome It

Jaw pain can make your activities less comfortable, because it makes it difficult to talk or difficult to eat. Jaw pain can be caused by various things, for example because of an ear, tooth, or sinus that is sick. Another possibility is interference with the jaw itself which is the cause of pain. Jaw pain is a common complaint, and almost everyone has experienced it. The causes can vary, ranging from mild to severe.

Causes of Jaw Pain

Here are some common causes of jaw pain:

• Temporomandibular joint disorder

The jaw joint controls the movement of the upper jaw to the lower jaw. This type of jaw pain can be triggered by the habit of pressing the jaw when you are feeling anxious or stressed, inflammation of the jaw joints, injury to the jaw joints or muscles, or the habit of moving the jaw during sleep.

• Tooth ache

Pain in the teeth can spread to the jaw, thereby also causing jaw pain. Causes of tooth pain such as infections that cause dental abscesses.

• Sinus infection

Sinus in the nose that has an infection, either by a virus or bacteria, can cause a buildup of fluid in the sinus cavity. This results in suppression of the jaw and triggers jaw pain.

• Cluster headaches

Cluster headaches are a very painful type of headache. This headache causes pain around or the back of one eye. Sometimes the pain can spread to the jaw.

• Trigeminal neuralgia

This pain occurs when there are nerves that are depressed or disturbed, precisely the nerves that control facial muscles and jaws. In this condition, the nerve sends pain signals to the brain.

• Osteomyelitis

Osteomyelitis is an infection of the bone and tissue around the bone. This condition can also occur in the jaw joints.

• Heart attack

Pain in a heart attack is generally felt in the chest, but can spread to the arms, back, neck and jaw. Women are more likely to experience left jaw pain when they have a heart attack.

Jaw pain needs to be treated according to the underlying cause. Treating stiffness and severe jaw pain can be given by painkillers such as paracetamol, or drugs that must be obtained from a doctor's prescription such as antidepressants and muscle relaxants. If needed, you can add physiotherapy, massage, and botox injections to treat this condition.

How to Reduce Jaw Pain

In addition to medication, to reduce discomfort during jaw pain, there are several ways that can be done, such as:

• Choose soft foods. Cut food so that it becomes smaller.
• Use ice cubes or warm water to compress the affected part.
• Reduce consumption of caffeine, both tea and coffee.
• Avoid the consumption of foods that are chewy or sticky like chewing gum.
• Do not evaporate too wide because it will affect the jaw.

As long as your jaw pain is still felt, you need to rest. Reduce activities that move many muscles and jaw joints. If the complaint does not improve after trying a number of ways above, consult your doctor for further examination and treatment.