Cutting pain in the upper abdomen. Why do all my teeth hurt at once and what should I do?

If it is in the jaw area - upper or lower, right or left - it is a rather frightening symptom. It may indicate illness large quantity organs and structures. These can be teeth, ears, gums, air sinuses, lymph nodes, and soft fabrics faces. Pain from inflammation of the internal organs may radiate to the jaw, but only a few.

To understand the possible causes of jaw pain, let's look at them using an algorithm. This, of course, does not cancel a trip to the doctor, because only a specialist with medical education. Several different laboratories and various instrumental methods can come to his aid at the right time.

Main causes of jaw pain

Pain syndrome localized in the jaw can be caused by diseases:

• dentofacial apparatus, gums, temporomandibular joint, thanks to which the lower jaw moves, soft tissues under the lower jaw. Public and private dentists deal with such problems. dental clinics, as well as maxillofacial surgeons - operating dentists who solve the problems of jaw abscesses and phlegmon that has developed as a result of dental diseases;
• air sinuses. In the area of ​​the upper jaw, on both sides of the nose, there are the maxillary (maxillary) sinuses, and behind the ear there is a temporal bone with a process, inside of which there is a cavity. The mucous membrane that lines them can become inflamed and suppurate; tumors can grow from it. An ENT doctor deals with such diseases;
• throat, tonsils and tissues near the tonsils. Purulent-inflammatory and infectious diseases and tumors can develop here. Otolaryngologists (ENT doctors) deal with such pathologies;
• peripheral nervous system : inflammation or irritation of nerve fibers and nodes in which processes and bodies of nerve cells accumulate;
• lymph nodes located along the perimeter of the lower jaw. They can become inflamed when they collect infected lymph from various organs: nose, throat, eyes, soft tissues of the face. They can contain cancer cells due to malignant tumors of bones, mucous membranes, soft tissues in the face and back of the head. Normally, the lymph nodes are not palpable and do not hurt. Their diseases are dealt with by a therapist (for children, a pediatrician).

Depending on the development mechanism, one of the following may develop in each localization: following types diseases:

1. Purulent-inflammatory pathologies:
   • abscess - purulent melting of tissue, delimited by a capsule from surrounding tissues; is fraught with the development of sepsis - blood poisoning;
   • phlegmon is a bacterial melting of tissue that is not delimited by a capsule, but tends to spread deep into and along similar tissues. It spreads especially easily through fiber.
2. Infectious pathologies that occur when the bacterium does not cause tissue melting.
3. Dysmetabolic disorders - associated with changes in the balance of electrolytes or other substances.
4. Injuries. In the case of the jaw, this is not only a blow or bruise, but also a sharp or strong opening of the mouth, movements of the jaw aimed at opening bottles or hard packaging with the teeth.
5. Tumors – malignant and benign.
6. Diseases of peripheral vessels and nerves.

If your jaw hurts after dental procedures

If less than a month has passed since the person received braces or removable dentures, the lower jaw “has the right” to hurt. At the same time, teeth may become more mobile and periodically headache. This is due to the formation of a correct bite. If this condition does not go away after 2 months, you need to be examined by an orthodontist.

Neuralgia of the superior laryngeal nerve

The superior laryngeal nerve innervates the root of the tongue, larynx, and upper pharynx. When it is irritated, pain appears, localized under the lower jaw. It is accompanied by coughing and drooling. The pain radiates to the face, ear, shoulder and chest. An attack is provoked by swallowing, coughing, turning the head.

Neuralgia of the glossopharyngeal nerve

Here the pain is felt in the tongue, but radiates to the jaw, chest, and larynx. Attacks of pain last no longer than three minutes and may be accompanied by dry mouth. The pain intensifies when pressing on the lower jaw. Violations general condition no, the temperature remains normal.

Odontogenic pain

Pulpitis (inflammation of the neurovascular bundle localized inside the tooth), caries (destruction of tooth enamel), and incipient periodontal abscess (an abscess near the tooth) are manifested by severe pain in a local area of ​​the upper or lower jaw, which intensifies at night and has a pulsating character. In this case, the area of ​​the root of the diseased tooth is painful on palpation, and it hurts when food is bitten by the tooth. It also responds with pain when cold or hot drinks come into contact with it.

Osteogenic sarcoma

It is a malignant tumor, like cancer. Only tumors that grow from mucous membranes are called cancer, and those that grow from bone, fat, nerve or vascular tissue are called sarcomas. In this case we are talking about a tumor originating from the bone of the lower or upper jaw. It manifests itself as a deformation of the jaw, occurring after a period of pain in the jaw and throughout the face. In addition, you can find a point in the chin area or under the eye where maximum pain is felt.

Osteoid osteoma

Pain in one of the jaws is almost always observed only at night. For a long time there are no other symptoms; with sufficient growth of this malignant tumor, facial asymmetry becomes noticeable.

Arteritis of the facial artery

In this case, the pain spreads from the chin and lower jaw to the upper lip. The pain is severe, burning.

If, in addition to pain, the temperature has increased

This symptom requires more detailed analysis, depending on the location.

Pain in the upper jaw

These may be the following pathologies (almost all symptoms are discussed above):

• Osteomyelitis of the maxilla. It is associated with tooth extraction, incorrect tooth extraction, installation of an implant in the upper jaw, incorrect sinus lift. It can hurt either in the left jaw or on the right.
• Sinusitis. Usually this disease develops on one side - right or left. It is provoked by hypothermia, trauma to the nose or skull, pulpitis of the upper molars, and periodontitis of the upper jaw. Symptoms of the pathology: pain radiates to the jaw, head, or eye socket, but you can find the point of maximum pain near the nose. In addition, half of the nose is blocked, mucus or pus flows from it (or from both nostrils), the voice becomes nasal, and back wall mucus drains from the throat.
• Cellulitis or abscess in this area, accompanied by swelling and tenderness of the soft tissues. The disease is preceded by an open (with deprivation of the integrity of the skin) injury to this area, or treatment of the teeth of the upper jaw.
• Gingivitis is inflammation of the mucous membrane of the gums. Inflamed gums, and with them the entire jaw, hurt, the temperature rises, bad smell from mouth. Read more.
• Alveolitis is an inflammation of the tooth socket after its removal.

Pain in the lower jaw

Pain in the lower jaw with increased temperature may be a consequence of:

• osteomyelitis;
• gingivitis;
• alveolitis – complications after tooth extraction;
• submandibular phlegmon or abscess;
• glossitis - inflammation of the mucous membrane of the tongue, which occurs as a result of its infection due to burns (chemical or thermal) or injuries. With this disease, not only the tongue hurts and the taste ceases to be felt, but also the jaw aches;
• if it is localized near the ear and is accompanied by an increase in body temperature, it is most likely. In this case, there may be discharge of pus or light fluid from the ear, and hearing impairment. Otitis media is indicated by weakness, fatigue, loss of appetite. A characteristic symptom: the pain intensifies when pressing on the tragus of the ear (a particularly protruding cartilage on the inside).

Ear and jaw pain

The symptom of pain in the ear and jaw indicates:

1. dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint. People over 30 years of age are more susceptible to this disease, especially those who have suffered trauma, arthritis of this joint, or have a pathology of the bite or masticatory muscles. It manifests itself as a headache in one half of the head, pain in the jaw, which radiates to the cheek, forehead, and temple. Jaw movements occur along a disturbed trajectory. With active movements of the jaw, a crunching and clicking sensation is felt in the joint near the ear. The jaw may suddenly lock.
2. arthrosis of the temporomandibular joint. Here the pain is constant, aching. There is a crunching sensation when you open your mouth. Opening wide becomes painful, as does closing your jaw too tightly. Chewing on this side also hurts. It is especially difficult to open your mouth in the morning, but then it becomes easier.
3. arthritis of the temporomandibular joint. Leading symptoms: pain near the ear, crackling, noise, clicking, crunching in the joint area, poor mobility, especially in the morning.
4. otitis, that is, inflammation of the ear: external or middle, located deeper than the eardrum;
5. carotidynia - irritation of the nerve endings near the carotid artery. This pain is paroxysmal, begins in the upper jaw, radiates to the neck, ear, oral cavity, and spreads throughout the face. Pressure on the side of the neck from the side and just below the Adam's apple causes acute pain. Causes of carotidini: tumors of soft tissues located near the carotid artery, dissection of the temporal artery;
6. neuralgia of the ear node. In this case, paroxysmal burning pain occurs. This pain goes from the temple, past the ear, reaches the lower jaw, chin, and radiates to the teeth. Clicking in the ear also appears, and salivation increases. The cause of the condition is hypothermia, sinusitis;
7. erythroothalgia syndrome. Here the ear hurts more, not the jaw. The pain radiates to the forehead, lower jaw, and back of the head. In addition, the ear turns red. Causes of the syndrome: cervical spondylosis, dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint, damage to the thalamus and some others.

If pain occurs when chewing

Pain in the jaw when chewing is a sign of:

• dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint;
• arthritis of this joint;
• arthrosis of the temporomandibular joint.

All these diseases are described in detail above.

Also, pain when chewing can occur with adamantinoma, one of the benign tumors that develops in the thickness of the lower, and less commonly, the upper jaw. The jaw increases in size, making it difficult to chew. At the same time, pain appears and increases.

Pain is felt under the jaw

Pain under the jaw is a sign of many diseases:

• Submandibular lymphadenitis. This is the name for inflammation of the submandibular lymph nodes. This happens when an infection gets here due to tonsillitis, periodontitis, conjunctivitis, facial furunculosis, or a carbuncle that appears on the face. To confirm the diagnosis, painful, elastic and mobile lymph nodes are palpated here. If the latter has a hard consistency, does not move or is painless, you need to look for where the cancer is metastasizing from.
• Infectious mononucleosis. This viral disease, in which many groups of lymph nodes are affected, including the submandibular one. The pathology is accompanied by a rise in temperature and mild symptoms of intoxication (weakness, drowsiness, nausea, loss of appetite). Read more about.
• Glossalgia or tongue hypersensitivity. Here the pain radiates to the lower jaw and occurs after chewing rough food, as well as eating sour, spicy, hot or cold foods.
• Glossitis is inflammation of the tongue. The tongue is noticeably thickened and bright red. If the pathology is not treated, submandibular phlegmon or an abscess may develop.
• Sialadenitis is inflammation of the salivary glands located under the jaw. In this case, the temperature rises, weakness appears, salivation increases, and appetite decreases. A dense elastic painful formation is determined at the angle of the jaw.
• Sialolithiasis. In this case, stones are detected in the salivary glands. Under the lower jaw - on the left or right - a swelling is detected, purulent discharge is released into the mouth, the amount is insignificant, and the person does not feel it, but the smell in the mouth becomes unpleasant.
• Pharyngitis is inflammation of the mucous membrane of the throat. Symptoms: cough and pain that can radiate to the jaw.
• Sore throats are inflammations of the tonsils. In this case, the throat hurts greatly, the temperature rises, and it becomes painful to swallow. Pain from the throat can radiate to the jaw and ear.
• Tumors of the salivary glands, which are manifested by aching pain of low intensity, localized under the jaw. If the tumor is malignant, the pain becomes more intense, the temperature rises, the submandibular lymph nodes enlarge, weakness increases, and body weight decreases.
• Tumors of the larynx, in which irritation of the laryngeal nerve occurs. In this case, pain appears in the throat, it spreads to the chest, the area under the lower jaw, and the ear. A person is also bothered by a lump in the throat, difficulty swallowing first solid and then liquid food.
• Fracture of the lower jaw. Its symptoms are described below.

If it hurts to open your mouth

Pain when opening the mouth can be:

1. acute, when it occurred sharply and suddenly;
2. chronic: exists for a long time.

Acute pain

Typical for the following cases:

• Bruise, fracture or dislocation of a joint. Then it occurs after a blow, a strong opening of the mouth, or a fall on the face. The characteristic symptoms are described above, in the section “Pain appeared after injury.”
• Cellulitis, abscess or osteomyelitis. In this case, it occurs after an injury, or against the background of prolonged pain in a tooth, sore throat, chicken pox, or tooth extraction. Its symptoms can also be found in the section “After dental intervention” or “After injury”.
• If the jaw hurts after visiting the dentist, when a person for a long time kept his mouth wide open, this means that effusion has formed in the joint – excess liquid, produced by the articular membrane. In this case, you need to spare the joint for several days without loading it with chewing solid food. Also periodically apply cold bandages to the joint area for 2-3 days. If this condition is not corrected, arthrosis, a degenerative joint condition, may develop.
• Arthritis. Pain may occur due to hypothermia, general infectious disease. When chewing, clicking, crunching, and noise in the joint are felt. The pain may radiate to the ear.

Chronic pain

If it hurts to open your mouth in the morning, then this condition goes away during the day, it could be arthrosis of the temporomandibular joint. It most often occurs in people who are missing molars, placing the stress on the bones rather than the teeth. If there are no teeth on the right, it will be painful to open the right half of the mouth. If on the left, then left.

Temporomandibular joint dysfunction and arthrosis of the joint described above also cause pain when opening the mouth. It hurts to chew and open your mouth too much. Movement is constrained in the morning, but then it goes away.

Trigeminal neuralgia. It is described in the section “When there are no other symptoms besides pain.”

When jaw pain is accompanied by deterioration of the condition

The symptom of pain in the jaw is not “trifling”, because it can indicate not only caries (which can be complicated by phlegmon of the maxillofacial area). Malignant bone tumors also show the same sign. Only doctors - dentists, neurologists, otolaryngologists or cardiologists - can accurately determine the cause of pain in the jaw. Even people with higher medical education who are not included in these three categories go for examination to their colleagues, since it is impossible to establish the etiology on their own.

Pain and other unpleasant sensations in the jaw are familiar to many. This symptom is typical for many diseases, so it should not be ignored. One should be especially wary of the fact that the pain syndrome is constantly present, sometimes subsiding a little, sometimes, on the contrary, intensifying. This condition requires urgent consultation with a doctor to rule out dislocation, fracture, purulent inflammation and other equally dangerous pathologies. Why the jaw aches, aches and hurts on the right or left, including when opening the mouth, the reasons for this and what to do is the topic of our article.

The human jaw is located with front side skull and occupies a fairly large area. It consists of two parts: top – motionless, it contains the maxillary sinuses, and the lower, on the contrary, mobile. Its bone is connected to muscles, which are necessary for processing food. In addition, the jaw is needed there to yawn, open your mouth wide, move your chin, and grimace. All these movements are provided by the jaw joints. Their damage is usually associated with severe pain and discomfort.

If you have pain in the upper or lower jaw on the right or left, the reasons for this may be the following:

• osteomyelitis – infectious inflammation of bone tissue;
• neuralgia;
• all types of joint damage, including as a result of injury;
• damage to the facial or carotid artery;
• dental procedures performed the day before, including tooth extraction and prosthetics;
• red ear syndrome;
• growth of “wisdom teeth”;
• wearing braces;
• arthritis and arthrosis;
• abscess, phlegmon and other purulent diseases of the submandibular region;
• all types of injuries and mechanical damage;
• carotidynia;
• malignant tumors.

Pain in this part of the skull can provoke heart disease, including acute myocardial infarction. Therefore, first of all, this will need to be excluded.

The jaw quite often hurts and swells in boxers, as well as in athletes involved in different types oriental martial arts. Soft tissue bruise is the simplest reason that causes severe discomfort. The pain with it is localized, either on the right or on the left, in the same place where the swelling is visualized.

Mouth cannot open due to jaw pain

Based on the patient’s complaints and question why the mouth does not open, the jaw hurts on the left side and it hurts to chew, the doctor can assume fracture. Its characteristic sign is that the pain does not go away even if you do not move the jaw, since the bone is greatly displaced. Dislocation is diagnosed quite often in patients of all ages.. It has such vivid symptoms that experienced specialist Sometimes it is enough just to look at the unchanging position of the mouth and incorrect location jaws. And if, in addition, the patient complains of impaired swallowing and the appearance of a speech defect, the diagnosis will be obvious. Pain during a dislocation is localized at the site of the damaged joint.

On your own, you can only guess the reason why it hurts to open your mouth on one side and why your lower jaw hurts. Only the attending physician can make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe a regimen and procedure for adequate treatment, to whom you should rush at the first manifestations of discomfort.

Features of pain in the lower and upper jaw for various reasons for their occurrence

Pain and aches in the jaw are a common symptom that is present in various pathologies and disorders of our body. As has already been clarified in previous section, except for traumatic joint injuries, pain syndrome can be provoked by:

• neoplasms;
• purulent infections;
• heart disease;
• neuralgia.

Let's look at the characteristics of pain for each of these ailments.

Unfortunately, no one is immune from the growth of tumors in the skull area. Pain and aching in the jaw are caused by many benign and malignant tumors. The most annoying thing in this situation is that noticeable pain appears only at the late stage of all of the above pathologies, which are asymptomatic for a long time. The discomfort with them is most noticeable at night. A little later, it is joined by pronounced facial asymmetry, changes in the thickness of the jaw, the inability to open the mouth, and difficulties with chewing food.

Osteogenic sarcoma of the jaw

Concerning sarcomas- the most formidable neoplasm of a malignant nature, then its development may indicate pain radiating to the neck and ear when pressing on the jaw and severe deformation of the face. In later stages of the disease, there is a decrease in the sensitivity of the affected areas.

Inflammation-provoking substances can also cause acute pain in the jaws. pyogenic bacteria, which enter bone and soft tissue through carious teeth, blood or open wounds.

The most dangerous inflammation is osteomyelitis, in which the infection, moving through the dental canals, penetrates into the deep parts of the jaw, causing lymphadenitis, sore teeth, swelling of the face, headache and general deterioration in well-being.

Other purulent inflammations include:

• furunculosis, which is characterized by purulent inflammation in the affected area of ​​the skin and severe pain;
• phlegmon, which is easily identified by pronounced swelling spreading to the ear;
• abscess, in which tissue necrosis is observed.

Osteomyelitis of the jaw

Often Heart pain can radiate to the lower jaw. This happens for acute heart attack, which requires urgent hospitalization of the patient. This disease is characterized by damage to the coronary arteries, thrombosis and spasm of the heart arteries, which leads to necrosis of the heart muscle. The patient’s life depends on urgent medical intervention. In addition to pain in the jaw, a heart attack may be indicated by severe heart pain, lack of air, and excessive sweating.

An attack of angina pectoris can also reduce the lower jaw, in which pain increases from the area behind the sternum gradually moving to the face, as well as inflammation of the carotid and facial arteries.

Jaw pain often occurs due to damage to the trigeminal, superior laryngeal and glossopharyngeal nerves, as well as congenital or acquired malocclusion.

Pain in the jaw due to malocclusion in children

In children, pain occurs due to the development of rickets, and in adults, the cause of discomfort can be poorly fitted dentures.

How to get rid of jaw pain

Jaw pain is an extremely unpleasant and dangerous phenomenon. Therefore, it is imperative to find out the reason for its appearance. The etiology can be very different and, accordingly, the principles of treatment will also be radically different from each other. The first thing you need to do is undergo a series of examinations:

• Analysis of urine;
• general blood analysis;
• X-ray of the skull;
• MRI.

Of course, an examination by specialists is indicated - a dentist, surgeon, neurologist, cardiologist, traumatologist, therapist. Therefore, to the question of what to do if the lower or upper jaw hurts when opening the mouth, the answer will be obvious - go for a consultation with a doctor.

Depending on the cause of the pain syndrome, treatment will be prescribed: dislocation needs adjustment fracture– in immediate surgery, injury- in cold compresses. For purulent inflammation you cannot do without taking antibacterial drugs, and in case of heart ailments, calling an ambulance.

If you have jaw pain, you should definitely consult a doctor.

Regarding dental reasons, then treatment will depend on their type and severity. Those teeth that cannot be saved must be removed, caries, pulpitis and stomatitis must be treated urgently, and if discomfort is caused by a growing wisdom tooth, sometimes a small incision in the gum is enough to eliminate it.

Symptomatic treatment of jaw pain and aches consists of taking painkillers and analgesics. Sometimes, if it is impossible to identify the cause of pain, the patient is prescribed a course of antidepressants.

Pain in the jaw can be of different nature, severity and intensity. But identifying its cause is urgent. Often, she may be the first warning symptom of serious pathologies, the timely identification and elimination of which will determine the overall prognosis. After all, in this way the body tells us that it needs help. Self-medication, as a rule, does not bring the desired result. Lotions, compresses, rinses and other methods traditional medicine won't solve the problem. Even if they are able to briefly alleviate the condition by relieving pain and aches, it will only be to survive the night and go to a specialist in the morning.

Sometimes a tooth hurts so badly that it is simply impossible to endure this feeling for a long time.

It is in such a situation that even those people who try to avoid a visit to the doctor to the last minute go to the dental clinic.

What if, but a whole row of teeth or part of the jaw? What to do in such a situation and what diseases can be a symptom of discomfort when it seems that all the teeth hurt at once?

Why does this type of pain occur?

The teeth are connected by nerve endings into a single chain. The branches of the superior alveolar nerves approach each tooth individually.

So, the middle alveolar branch goes to the premolars, and the anterior branch goes to the incisors. All nerve endings in the upper jaw are united in the upper dental plexus. Gingival tissues also extend from it to the gums and walls of the dental alveoli. The lower jaw also has a similar innervation system.

Small nerve endings leading to the top of the tooth and gums are, in fact, processes of the trigeminal nerve. If in any area, be it a tooth, gum or the trigeminal nerve itself, any disturbance occurs along the course of innervation, then painful sensations will spread throughout the nerve fibers running through the jaw.

That is why, if several teeth are affected, there is a feeling that the entire jaw hurts.

The pain spreads along the nerve fibers of the entire dentition and sometimes it is difficult to identify the tooth that caused the discomfort.

Features of the clinical picture

Toothache affecting the entire jaw can be very different: acute,. It may appear periodically (usually at night) and disappear again.

Most often it appears when a person is sleeping, this is due to the fact that at rest the blood flow to the jaws increases; in addition, in the evening the adrenal glands are inactive and produce fewer steroid hormones.

In acute conditions, such as or, the pain is usually persistent and unbearable, sometimes throbbing. Very often, after eating hot or cold food, you get the feeling that all your teeth hurt at the same time. In this case, the unpleasant sensations pass quite quickly.

In any case, in order to find out the cause of the symptoms, you need to consult a doctor.

Causes of the pathological condition

There are several groups of causes and diseases that create the feeling that all teeth hurt at once. Some of them are of a dental nature, while others are not directly related to the teeth and gums, but at the same time there is a feeling that it is the teeth that hurt.

If all teeth hurt at the same time, this may be caused by the following dental factors:

Non-dental causes of tooth pain without clear localization include:

In case of such a problem, you should...

If unpleasant symptoms occur, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible. It is important to remember that the sooner a diagnosis is made and treatment is prescribed, the faster the painful symptoms will go away.

Before going to the clinic, you can only slightly alleviate the suffering with home remedies. Painkillers that are available in every first aid kit will help relieve pain: Analgin, Tempalgin, Ketorol. If toothache is accompanied by an inflammatory process, then you can take Paracetamol or Ibuprofen.

It is undesirable to warm up the area where unpleasant sensations are located.

If pain is caused by dental problems, then a compress with fir oil can help. To prepare a compress, place 5 drops of oil on a piece of bandage and apply to the gum.

Also, instead of fir drops for a compress, you can use “Tooth drops”, “Denta” or a solution of novocaine.

A decoction of oak bark can also pacify toothache. When all your teeth hurt, pour boiling water over a tablespoon of oak bark and let it brew. You can rinse your mouth with the resulting decoction.

The feeling that the entire jaw hurts at once can occur with various pathologies. Pain in the teeth is a consequence of the disease, and not an independent disease.

If the first symptoms occur, do not delay going to the clinic. Only a competent doctor can deal with the problem and prescribe effective treatment.

• Structure and functions of the jaw
• Causes of pain
• Pain due to tumors
• Pain due to purulent diseases
• Cardiovascular diseases
• Pain of neurogenic etiology
• Other causes of jaw pain
• Therapeutic measures

If a person has jaw pain, this may indicate a pathology of the bone apparatus itself, dysfunction of the joint and other pathological conditions. Sometimes pain in this area can radiate from other organs, such as the heart. If the pain does not go away for a long time, you need to visit a doctor.

Structure and functions of the jaw

The jaw is part of the facial skeleton of the skull. Its upper section consists of 2 bones. The maxillary sinus is localized in it. The lower jaw is unpaired. These structures have for humans great importance. Attached directly to bones masticatory muscles who participate in machining food.

With the help of the jaw and muscular system, a person can yawn, move his chin, and open his mouth wide. The jaws are directly connected to the teeth. The upper jaw bone forms the following structures: the nasal cavity, the hard palate and the orbits. The movement of bone structures is carried out with the help of joints. It is often painful for a person to open his mouth if the jaw joint is damaged. If the mouth does not open at all, and there is strong pain, this may indicate a broken bone.

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Causes of pain

If your jaw hurts when you open your mouth, there may be several reasons for this. The main etiological factors are:

• infectious bone lesions (osteomyelitis);
• wearing braces;
• damage to the temporomandibular joint;
• maturation;
• tooth extraction or other medical procedures;
• neurological diseases (neuralgia);
• damage to the facial artery;
• malignant neoplasms (sarcoma);
• red ear syndrome;
• damage to the carotid artery;
• arthrosis (deforming osteoarthritis);
• arthritis;
• purulent diseases (furunculosis, phlegmon, abscess);
• traumatic injury (bruises, fractures, dislocations);
• carotidynia;
• heart disease (acute myocardial infarction and angina).

If a person is bothered by pain on the right or left side in the jaw area, this may indicate injury to tissue or bone structures. If there is pain and the jaw is swollen, the cause may be a bruise. It is characterized by damage to soft tissues without involvement of bone formations. The bruise can be caused by a fight or playing sports. This condition is often found in boxers and martial arts practitioners.

Pain in the jaw below when chewing may be a symptom of a fracture. Moreover, pain occurs during movement and at rest. There is a displacement of bone structures. This type of injury most often occurs when strong impact hard object. Such victims need surgical care(osteosynthesis). The causes of a fracture vary. Dislocations are very often diagnosed. The reasons lie in opening bottles with the teeth, wide opening of the mouth during yawning, and sudden movements. During the examination, the following signs are revealed:

• fixed mouth position;
• change in speech;
• changing the position of the jaw (moving forward and turning);
• swallowing disorder;
• pain under the jaw and at the joint.

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Pain due to tumors

When pain persists for a long time, a full examination is required. Symptoms may indicate the presence of a tumor. The latter are benign and malignant. The first group includes osteoblastoclastoma, osteoid osteoma and adamantinoma. With osteoma, signs of jaw inflammation may be absent for a long time.

Pain syndrome is a concern in the later stages of the disease. Most often this happens at night. Externally, a violation of facial symmetry is determined. With adamantioma, thickening of the jaw is possible. Patients complain that their jaw hurts when opening their mouth (while chewing food and when talking). Benign tumors do not metastasize even when timely treatment health prognosis is favorable.

A completely different situation arises if the cause of pain is sarcoma. This is a malignant tumor that forms from connective tissue. In the general structure of malignant neoplasms of non-epithelial origin, it accounts for more than 20% of all cases. With sarcoma, there is pain when pressing on the jaw, deformation, pain in the face (in the ear and jaw), radiating to the neck. Some patients experience sensory impairment.

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Pain due to purulent diseases

If the jaw hurts from below or above, the cause may lie in an acute purulent process. The most dangerous of them is osteomyelitis. This disease affects not only the bone, but also the surrounding soft tissue. Osteomyelitis is predominantly bacterial in origin. Penetration of pathogenic pyogenic bacteria is possible in several ways: through teeth, blood or during injury.

The first option is the most common. Odontogenic osteomyelitis develops due to the penetration of bacteria from the canals of the teeth into the area of ​​their roots. The main signs of osteomyelitis are: pain in the jaw (upper or lower), fever, chills, headache, painful teeth, lymphadenopathy, swelling and facial asymmetry.

Others possible reasons Pain syndromes include phlegmon, boils and abscesses. With a boil, acute purulent inflammation of the skin develops. The source of inflammation is limited. He is very painful. With abscess and phlegmon, purulent inflammation of soft tissues also occurs. Severe swelling and pain are observed. With phlegmon, the focus of inflammation and necrosis can spread. In this case, the ear or neck may be involved in the process.

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Cardiovascular diseases

The presence of pain in the lower jaw may indicate heart pathology.

Often the pain radiates to the neck or lower jaw during myocardial infarction.

This condition requires urgent medical care, as it often causes death. Acute infarction is characterized by necrosis of the heart muscle. The main etiological factors are: damage to the coronary arteries by atherosclerotic plaques, spasm of the cardiac arteries, thrombosis, surgical interventions.

If pain in the lower jaw is combined with pain in the heart area that is not relieved by nitrates, you should call ambulance. Symptoms of an acute or acute heart attack are: chest pain, a feeling of shortness of breath, sweating. The peculiarity of the pain syndrome is that it lasts more than 15 minutes and is not eliminated by simple painkillers. If the lower jaw, teeth or left hand, this may indicate an attack of angina. This condition is caused by oxygen starvation of the heart muscle. The pain initially occurs behind the sternum, but then it can radiate to the jaw.

The human face is well supplied with blood. Often the cause of pain near the ear or in the jaw itself is arteritis. In the case of inflammation of the facial artery, patients complain of burning pain in the jaw, radiating to the orbit. Most often the pain occurs in the lower area jaw bone and near the wings of the nose. Larger vessels, such as the carotid artery, can also be affected. Pain can occur in the entire half of the face. It often appears in the neck and lower jaw.

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Pain of neurogenic etiology

Pain in the jaw, near the ear, or in the chest can all be symptoms of nerve damage. In this situation we are talking about neuralgia. The most commonly affected peripheral nerves are the trigeminal, glossopharyngeal, and superior laryngeal. Neuralgia of the glossopharyngeal nerve is manifested by the following symptoms:

• pain in the tongue area, which radiates to the lower jaw;
• increased pain during conversation;
• hypersalivation.

If pain occurs when chewing, the trigeminal nerve may be damaged. In most cases, the nerve is only affected on one side, so the pain will be on the left or right. The ears themselves do not suffer, but the pain occurs near them, it is intense, has a burning character, and intensifies at night. Pain in the jaw when chewing is the main symptom of neuralgia of the superior laryngeal nerve. It may be accompanied by coughing or sneezing. Spasmodic pain when chewing in combination with cramps and dysphagia may be a manifestation of tetanus. This pathology requires immediate help (administration of antitetanus serum).