woman touching her jaw

Jaw Pain: Identifying the Cause and What to Do About It

Pain comes in different forms. Muscle and joint pain plague many people, while others suffer migraines. One of the more common pains that people complain about is a pain in their jaw. If you are also feeling an ache in your jaw, you might be desperate to figure out how you can get rid of it. Here are some potential causes of your aching jaw and how to treat it properly.

Tooth Problems

Your jaw is where your teeth are, and feeling pain there can mean that one of your teeth is in need of desperate attention. For example, a cavity or an abscess can cause the nerves of your tooth to start aching. It can be surprising how painful this is. Sensitive teeth can also cause pain for you as it starts radiating from your jaw. Another potential reason might be an infection in your gums.

The best way to treat jaw pain coming from dental problems is a visit to the dentist. If you are lucky, your problems will go away once the dentist extracts your tooth. There are other solutions available, but your dentist should able to recommend the right move.

TMJ Disorder

Your tempo-mandibular joint is the hinge that your jaw depends on to move up and down. It is an essential part of eating and talking. If there is something wrong with this joint, then you will experience quite a bit of pain in your jaw. There are surprisingly many things that can go wrong with this joint.

For example, your joint might suffer from arthritic pain. An injury might also be causing pain to your jaw. Identifying what is wrong will be up to the doctors. It is possible to get TMJ treatment in Salt Lake City and other urban areas easily enough.

man icing his aching jaw

Specific Diseases

There are several diseases that have symptoms that result in pain in your jaw. Vaccines have eliminated the chance of getting many of these diseases, but there are a couple of notable exceptions. One of these is the mumps. Many people get sick from this when they are young. It causes swelling in the saliva glands and makes them ache. It should be easy enough to treat.

A more deadly sickness is tetanus. This stems from a bacterial infection because of a cut or a scratch. One of the more notable symptoms of the disease is the stiffness in the jaws, which is why the disease has the name “lockjaw.” This is a deadly disease, so you will need immediate treatment.

Heart Attack

There is a strange connection between jaw pain and a heart attack. This is mainly because the pain in one nerve can trigger corresponding pain elsewhere in the body. Most people who experienced heart attacks report pain in their jaw as one of the signs. If you feel jaw pain, you might need to visit the ER as even a mild heart attack can be debilitating.

Dealing with your jaw pain can be a big help in giving you some relief. Without the constant pain, you can have fewer worries. The advice above should help you identify the source of your problems so that you can get the proper treatment for it.

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