Some conditions may cause pain on one side of the jaw, which may travel to the opposite side. This pain is not usually a cause for concern and may result from sinusitis, oral health issues, or TMJ disorders. People can treat these causes at home, or a doctor can prescribe a suitable treatment method.
In some cases, jaw pain on one side can indicate underlying oral health problems. Some common issues that cause jaw pain are cavities, an abscessed tooth, gum disease, tooth decay, growth of wisdom teeth, missing or crooked teeth, and clenching or grinding your teeth.
One of the most common causes of jaw pain is temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD), which is often also referred to as TMJ. This disorder has a negative impact on the joints that connect the jawbone and your skull. A surprising number of people live their day to day lives with TMD and are completely unaware of it.
Trigeminal neuralgia is sudden, severe facial pain. It's often described as a sharp shooting pain or like having an electric shock in the jaw, teeth or gums. It usually happens in short, unpredictable attacks that can last from a few seconds to about 2 minutes. The attacks stop as suddenly as they start.
Trigeminal neuralgia is a condition characterized by pain coming from the trigeminal nerve, which starts near the top of the ear and splits in three, toward the eye, cheek and jaw. We have two trigeminal nerves: one for each side of our face, but trigeminal neuralgia pain most commonly affects only one side.
Although it can indicate a potential complication, it isn't always something significant. Depending on the cause, you can wait to see your dentist, or you may need to head to the closest hospital. One-sided jaw pain can indicate a heart attack, especially in women.
One of the most common physical effects of anxiety is TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint Disorder). TMJ is a condition that causes pain and dysfunction in the jaw joint and muscles. It can be caused by a number of things, but anxiety is one of the most common triggers for it.
Most of the time, TMJ pain is temporary and goes away on its own with time. Dr. Touni typically starts by recommending at-home treatments to relieve your jaw tenderness and pain.
Don't ignore your sore jaw
Jaw pain isn't just annoying. It's your body's way of letting you know there's a problem that needs medical attention. Ignoring it allows that underlying problem to worsen and potentially cause lifelong problems with your joint.
But occasionally, you may feel pain in your cheeks. You may have a sinus infection, a tooth abscess, temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD), periodontal disease, a nerve condition or other medical conditions. If you're experiencing severe pain, your doctor can help determine the underlying cause.
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.
Teeth grinding (bruxism) is the most common cause of jaw pain. If you notice that your jaw only hurts in the morning when you wake up, and your jaw pain becomes less intense as the day goes on, nighttime teeth grinding is the most likely culprit.
Hold the tip of the chin in the right hand with the thumb resting under the chin and the index finger wrapped around the front. Softly push the right hand against the jaw. Slowly start to open the jaw while continuing to push against the chin. Hold the position for a few seconds, then slowly close the mouth.
Aching, tired feeling in your facial muscles. Pain or tenderness in your face, jaw joint area, neck and shoulders, and in or around the ear when you chew, speak, or open your mouth wide. Clicking, popping, or grating sounds in the jaw joint when you open or close your mouth — or when chewing.
Anxiety can produce a range of symptoms. There is some scientific evidence that jaw tension, which arises when a person's jaw muscles contract excessively, could be a symptom.
Angina has been reported as pain in the left arm, numbness or tingling in the fingers of the left hand, pain in the neck, and aching in the jaw. In a study from Uruguay, six percent of people with ischemia (reduced blood flow to the heart muscle) had pain only in the head or jaw.
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.
Usually pain on side of the face can be caused from sinus infection with can also lead to sinus headaches. Other causes include facial cellulitis, dental complications, or trauma from an injury, Read below for more information on causes and treatment options.
A more common cause of jaw pain on one side is sinusitis, or inflammation in the nasal cavity. Sinusitis usually occurs as a result of a cold or allergies. Since the condition causes inflammation in the cavities that reside behind your cheeks, it can often result in pain in one or both sides of your jaw.
A dull, aching pressure on the side of the head, face, or jaw may indicate an ear infection or a vestibular migraine. Symptoms that usually accompany ear-related problems include: pain in the ear, jaw, or temple. dizziness or vertigo.