Jaw Pain

Why do we get Jaw Pain?

Your jaw joint, also known as the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), connects your lower jaw (mandible) to your skull. It allows your mouth to open and close so you can speak and chew. Lots of muscles and ligaments help your jaw move up and down, from side to side, and backwards and forwards.

Causes of Jaw Pain

There are various causes of Jaw Pain:

• Trauma such as a fall or knock to the chin or jaw can cause irritation of the joint and affect its function.
• Recent dental treatment such as wisdom teeth removal can cause jaw related pain.
• A highly common cause is overstretching the jaw such as yawning or eating.
• Sinuses problems such as sinus infections can result in jaw pain. This is because the sinuses are air filled cavities located near the jaw joint and excess mucus can put pressure on the jaw joint, causing pain.
• Tension and stress don’t directly cause jaw joint problems, but they may make jaw joint problems worse. This is because you may be more likely to grind your teeth at night or while you’re concentrating, without realising.

Jaw Pain Symptoms

The main symptoms are pain, stiffness and reduced movement of the jaw, affecting your ability to eat, speak, and fully open and close the mouth. The pain can present as dull aching around your jaw, cheek, ear, neck, shoulders or back

You may also notice sounds such as popping, grating or clicking sounds when you move your jaw. Some patients report headaches and earaches (which can cause some balance disturbances and dizziness).

Treatment for Jaw Pain

Heat! Holding a warm compress, against your Jaw and area of pain for a few minutes several times a day can help ease the tension of the muscles around the jaw joint and reduce the pain.

See your dentist as they may be able to provide a customised mouthguard to reduce nighttime teeth grinding and jaw clenching.

Watch the PBG information class on Jaw pain then try the QuickFix exercise class to learn how to safely mobilise your jaw and reduce pain.