How To Get Rid Of Jaw Pain In South Africa
What is Jaw Pain?
Jaw pain, which sometimes radiates to other areas of the face, is a common concern. It can develop due to sinus infections, toothaches, issues with the blood vessels or nerves, or other conditions. Most types of jaw pain result from temporomandibular joint disorder.
How To Get Rid Of Jaw Pain In South Africa
For immediate relief
Apply moist heat or ice packs: Place ice in a plastic bag, wrap it in a thin cloth, and apply it to your face for 10 minutes. Then take it off for 10 minutes before reapplying it. Another option is to run warm water over a washcloth, then apply it to your jaw area. The moist heat can relax overactive jaw muscles and relieve pain. You may have to re-wet the washcloth several times to maintain the heat.
You can also purchase heat or ice packs at a pharmacy or online. However, they should be covered in cloth at all times, or they could burn your skin. If it feels too hot or too cold, remove it.
Over-the-counter pain relievers: Medicines like ibuprofen and acetaminophen may help to reduce discomfort.
Massage the affected joint: Using your index and middle finger, press the sore areas of your jaw, such as the area right before your ear where your jaw joints meet. Rub in a circular motion for 5 to 10 rotations, then open your mouth and repeat the exercise. Massaging the muscles on the side of your neck may also help relieve tension.
Lifestyle Strategies to Reduce Jaw Pain Long-term
Stress reduction: Try stress-relieving techniques to reduce jaw clenching. These could include:
- yoga
- journaling
- meditation
These activities may help you reduce your jaw pain if it’s caused by stress.
Avoid chewy foods: Foods that are chewy, tough, or crunchy can place too great a strain on your jaw joint and lead to pain and discomfort later. Foods to avoid include:
- apples
- beef jerky
- chewing gum
- ice
Avoid caffeine: Your morning cup of joe could be contributing to your muscle tension, which can be increased by caffeine. Avoiding large amounts of caffeinated coffee and tea may help reduce your jaw pain over time, but you may initially feel muscle tension from caffeine withdrawal when cutting it out of your diet.
Medical Treatment
Most doctors will first recommend non-invasive treatment methods for your jaw pain. If you still have jaw pain after trying these methods, you should talk to your dentist. You may need further interventions to find relief for your pain.
Mouthguard: A mouthguard is a plastic dental protector worn on your upper or lower teeth that’s custom-fitted for your mouth. Although you can purchase one at a pharmacy, a dentist will make you one that may fit better and last longer. Wearing one at bedtime can help stop you from unconsciously grinding your teeth.
Muscle relaxers: If your pain doesn’t respond to the mouthguard, your dentist may prescribe muscle relaxers to relieve jaw tension. However, these don’t always help people with TMD.
Botox injections: More invasive treatment methods include Botox cosmetic injections. When injected into the jaw muscles, the botulinum toxin found in Botox may keep your jaw muscles from clenching, possibly helping to relieve jaw pain due to TMD. These injections will last for months at a time and may require re-injection later.
Jaw surgery: In very rare instances, a doctor will recommend jaw surgery to correct TMD problems. This treatment is usually reserved for people with severe pain and pain that’s due to structural problems in the jaw joint.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the main reason for jaw pain?
TMDs are the most common cause of jaw pain, affecting nearly 10 million Americans . TMD is also sometimes known as TMJ. The temporomandibular joints are the hinge joints on each side of your jaw. Several things can cause TMD jaw pain.
When should I be concerned about jaw pain?
Seek medical attention if you have persistent pain or tenderness in your jaw, or if you can’t open or close your jaw completely. Your doctor, your dentist or a TMJ specialist can discuss possible causes and treatments for your problem.
How does jaw pain feel?
This is sometimes described as a stabbing pain, or a feeling of tightness, pressure, or squeezing. Jaw pain. This is sometimes described as feeling like a bad toothache
For many people, jaw pain & soreness is secondary to stress. Stress is how the body reacts to and handles harmful situations, but ongoing stress can manifest in physical ways. Clenching teeth puts additional undue strain on the jaw muscles and increases the pressure on the jaw joint.
Does jaw pain go away?
For most people, pain in the area of the jaw joint or muscles does not signal a serious problem. Generally, discomfort from these conditions is occasional and temporary, often occurring in cycles. The pain eventually goes away with little or no treatment. Some people, however, develop significant, long-term symptoms.
How do I know if my jaw pain is heart related?
Neck, jaw, arm, and back pain: Pain radiating to your jaw, back, neck, or arms may signal a heart condition, especially if the origin is hard to pinpoint. For example, you might feel pain, but no specific muscle or joint aches.
How long does jaw pain last?
Most of the symptoms disappear in two weeks once the jaw is rested There are a variety of options for treating TMJ syndrome at home. Anti-inflammatory and pain medications such as aspirin or acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) may provide relief. Eat a diet of soft foods.
An aching ear is a common symptom for people with a TMJ disorder. Because the TMJ is near the auditory canal, pain and inflammation in this joint can affect the ear. A ringing sound in the ear, also known as tinnitus, is often a part of TMJ ear pain.
What kind of jaw pain is heart related?
Orofacial pain of cardiac origin is a bilateral pain, mainly located in the mandible and throat. It can irradiate to other craniofacial structures and also to more common areas such as the arms, shoulders and chest.
How can I relax my jaw at night?
Train yourself not to clench or grind your teeth. If you notice that you clench or grind during the day, position the tip of your tongue between your teeth. This practice trains your jaw muscles to relax. Relax your jaw muscles at night by holding a warm washcloth against your cheek in front of your earlobe.
Does anxiety cause jaw tightness?
Tightness in the jaw can result from stress, anxiety, inflammation, or injury. Overexerting the jaw — by chewing too much, for example — can also cause muscle tightness. The joint of the jaw, also called the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), is a ball-and-socket joint similar to that in the shoulder.
How do you massage your jaw?
Here’s how you do it:
- Locate the masseter muscles in your lower jaw.
- Massage this area by pressing gently with two or three fingers and moving in a circular motion.
- Continue until you find some relief.
- Experiment with different areas of the jaw and even try massaging your jaw with your entire hand.
What causes jaw joint pain on one side?
More often than not, pain on one side of your jaw is linked to a dental problem like cavities, an abscess, wisdom teeth, gum disease, missing or misaligned teeth, or clenching and grinding.
Is TMJ worse at night?
TMJ is worse at night because that’s when you’re prone to grind your teeth and clench your jaw. Nighttime clenching is caused primarily by your body trying to keep your airway open, and while you’re asleep your body does the best that it can.
Why does my throat neck and jaw hurt?
When your tonsils encounter more bacteria than they can handle, they become overwhelmed and swell up. This swelling causes the soreness in your throat. The swelling of your tonsils often extends up from your neck and throat, into your jaw, causing swollen lymph nodes and jaw pain.
Why does my jaw feel tired and heavy?
Myasthenia gravis is a chronic condition that causes muscles to tire and weaken easily. For example, if you have myasthenia gravis, you may notice that during a meal, your jaw muscles become tired and weak, interfering with your ability to chew food.