Ear and jaw pain severity can vary from mild to very intense, depending on the cause of the pain, and whether the pain is occurring due to infection, injury, or any other severe cause. Furthermore, ear and jaw pain has numerous condition-related.
1. Ear and Jaw Pain
Jaw and ear pain is common pain due to various events taking place in one’s life and exposure to microorganisms in day-to-day life. Experiencing jaw pain is life-threatening, if not treated on time with proper medications.
The several reasons behind the jaw and ear pain include TMJ disorder, sleep apnea, temporomandibular disorders, weak immune system, eye pressure point strains, and psoriatic arthritis.
1.1. Causes of Ear and jaw pain
Several causes play a significant role in creating ear and jaw pain. The most prominent cause behind ear and tooth pain include joint pain in the jaw, jaw injury, oral infections, lower jaw injury, TMJ disorders, teeth grinding, temporomandibular joint, jaw muscles strain, sinus pressure, mild ache, tooth abscess, ear infections, facial pain and many more.
Some of the common ear and jaw pain causes are explained in this article in detail.
1.1.1. TMJ Disorders and Dysfunction
This problem is related to the temporomandibular joint. It is also known as temporomandibular disorder. This disorder has an extensive range of symptoms. The most prominent symptom is ear and jaw pain. In some cases, headaches and eye pain are also observed. The main causes behind this temporomandibular joint disorder include
- Teeth grinding
- Rheumatoid arthritis,
- Muscles surrounding injuries
- The problem is the alignment between teeth and jaw.
Although teeth grinding and pain in rheumatoid arthritis are very much intense, still some home remedies are there which help in reducing the intensity of the pain caused by these.
1.1.2. Oral infections
Apart from TMJ disorder, the other prominent cause of jaw and ear pain is oral infections. A severe oral infection needs medical treatment on urgent bases, if medical treatment is not done then the situation might get worst.
The main causes of oral infection include dental issues including
- Tooth abscess
- Root canals
- Jaw hur
- Jaw injuries
- Teeth forward.
In severe cases, the patient also has swollen gums along with tender spots. The intense pain may spread in healthy joints if not given immediate treatment.
Surrounding muscles pain might appear and disappear in the jaw and ear, this is the signal that tells that the oral infection is spreading in the nearby muscles.
In oral infection, the doctor advises taking soft foods with a liquid diet, which will most relax the muscles and help reduce the pain.
1.1.3. Ear Infections
There are several causes of ear infections including experiencing pain in related muscles of the jaw, teeth, and sinus. Sinus pain is unbearable and needs medical treatment. The prominent causes of ear infections include bacteria, viruses, and some fungi. This is among the periodontal disease if not taken action on time.
Experiencing ear pain might also have other symptoms which include fever, congestion, and very low energy level. One of the major ear infections named mastoiditis is spread near the mastoid bone of the ear. In this condition, the patient experience
- Intense pain
- Some times jaw hurts along with sleep apnea
- Heating problem
- Runny nose,
- Migraine attacks and in some cases pain even sinus pressure.
Infection in the jaw joint, temporal bone, and inner ear first need a physical examination. The physical examination will make clear what are the dominant causes of the infection.
1.1.4. Jaw Injuries
Injury in the outer ear and the sternocleidomastoid muscle in any car accident also cause jaw pain. To identify the jaw injury reason health history is very important. The physical exam helps in identifying the causes behind the experience of ear and jaw pain.
To reduce stress in the muscles of injuries cold compress is suggested by doctors.
1.1.5. Swimmer’s ear
Swimmer’s ear is a disease that is generally caused when the outer ear lining is torn by some sharp object and water is formed inside it.
1.2. Home Remedies for Ear and Jaw Pain
Apart from medicines, there are some home remedies that can help in reducing jaw and ear pain. These home remedies include.
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Intake of more soft foods
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Rest and relax of jaw
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Use of cold and warm compression
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Stop chewing the ends of shaped objects including pencils and pens.
1.3. Treatment Options for Ear and Jaw Pain
Treatment for ear and jaw pain spend on the reso behind the cause. Treatment may vary from cause to cause.
Some of the common treatment for ear and jaw pain includes.
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Jaw resting
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Flushing the joints for reducing inflammation
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Antibiotics drugs in case of infection
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Tooth removal in case of oral infection and cause
1.4. When to Concern Doctor
Ear and jaw pain is very common, and the thing which plays a major role is when to consult the doctor, to avoid further complications is important.
Here are some signs and symptoms, which show that this is the time to consult your doctor.
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Interferes with the sleep
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High fever including other flue like symptoms
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Problem In hearing
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Difficulty in eating and talking
2. FAQs
Some of the frequently asked questions which bother people a lot include.
Q 1. Are Ear and jaw pain permanent
Ans: No- the ear and jaw pain are not permanent if proper treatment is taken at the right time.
Q 2. What are the causes of jaw pain
Ans: Sometimes, jaw pain is caused due to clenched teeth or jaw injury.
Q 3. What are the methods to relieve jaw pain
Ans: There are various methods which include the use of hot and cold compress, exercises of the jaw, the correct posture of the jaw, and avoiding certain foods which are hard to chew.
Q 4. What are the main reasons for ear pain
Ans: The ear pain can be due to ear infection, fluid buildup near the ear drum, and pus formation in the ear canal.
Final Note
There are several reasons behind the ear and jaw pain, in the majority of the cases the reason behind the pain is only concerned with either jaw or ear, but referred pain is felt in surrounding areas.
Must talk to your doctor if the pain persists or if the pain is becoming more severe day by day. The doctor will do the physical examination followed by some tests which are involved in the diagnosis, to help you in a better way.
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