Is jaw pain or fatigue a sign of jaw dysfunction?

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Nguyen Trung Hau - Doctor of Odonto-Stomatology - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Da Nang International General Hospital.

Jaw joint disorders cause pain and fatigue in jaw muscles such as the jaw angle, under the jaw, and at the temples. This symptom can spread to the neck, shoulder area, front of the ear, in the ear, tinnitus, hearing loss.

The jaw joint is the only movable joint at the top of the face, located in front of the ears, below the temples. The jaw joint is made up of a articular disc, the condyle of the mandible and the articular surface of the temporal bone. Jaw joint disorder, also known as temporomandibular joint disorder, is pain around the jaw joint and the muscles that control chewing. These pains are caused by a malfunctioning system of muscles, ligaments, discs and bones. Causes of jaw joint disorders may include:
Patients clenching their jaws or grinding their teeth, chewing on only one side for many years, causing them to bear more force, gradually making the bite deviated, hindering when the lower jaw moves. Misaligned teeth and mismatched teeth. Jaw joint disorder when you have arthritis and trauma to the jaw, head or neck. Stress, anxiety and other psychological disorders can cause disorders of the jaw joint, because it lowers the resistance threshold of the chewing system, increases muscle spasms, and causes dysfunction. Due to micronutrient disorders such as magnesium deficiency... or endocrine Due to the silent course of the disease, patients often skip treatment, putting the disease at high risk of progressing to irreversible osteoarthritis. Over time, it will cause oral health, the whole body to decline, affecting the quality of life.

Signs of temporomandibular joint disorder include:
At a mild level, signs of jaw dysarthria are manifested by muscle fatigue when eating, chewing, opening or closing the mouth with a clicking sound, heaviness in the face, and tension in the jaw. ear side. In the severe stage, signs of jaw dysfunction are pain in the jaw muscles such as the jaw angle, under the jaw, and the temple, spreading to the neck, shoulder and neck area, pain in front of the ear, in the ear, tinnitus, hearing loss. . Therefore, jaw muscle pain can be a warning sign of jaw dysfunction. In addition, the patient may have a headache or limit the movement of the lower jaw, making the opening of the mouth limited, opening the mouth to one side, Eating, chewing and talking are not normal. Osteoarthritis, degeneration, destruction of the ends of bones of the joint surface, arthralgia, ankylosing spondylitis if left untreated for a long time.

When signs of jaw dysfunction are suspected, the doctor will make a diagnosis based on symptoms and examination of the face and jaw. Patients may need magnetic resonance imaging and arthroscopy. After an accurate diagnosis, the treatment methods for temporomandibular joint disorders include:
Drug treatment: Treatment drugs will be different, both prescription and non-prescription drugs to help you reduce pain. Anti-inflammatory drugs can be used. Apply heat or cold to relieve pain. Follow a soft diet and less chewing to reduce the endurance and fatigue of the jaw muscles. Teeth and jaw problems can be corrected with braces or bite plates. Practice jaw exercises to help you relax your jaw, and if stress is the cause of your jaw disorder, you need counseling or special therapies. Use pain control methods such as acupuncture or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. Jaw surgery when the pain is too severe and other treatments have failed. When you have the above symptoms, you should go to the hospital for early examination and treatment. Vinmec International General Hospital with a system of modern facilities, medical equipment and a team of experts and doctors with many years of experience in medical examination and treatment, patients can rest assured to visit. and treatment of jaw dysfunction at the hospital.