It's not uncommon for us to hear a complaint about a cramped jaw. Moreover, it is almost impossible to independently establish the cause of this phenomenon. Most often, this condition is not dangerous and passes without complications. However, sometimes there are situations when the jaw reduces due to serious he alth problems.
How the disease manifests itself
Painful sensations in the jaw area, as a rule, are associated with a malfunction of the temporomandibular joint. It, like all other joints, has a capsule where rather complex muscle movements occur. And this is not surprising, because with its help many life processes occur, such as biting, chewing, yawning, communication, coughing, laughing, etc.
According to many scientists, this joint is also responsible for the balance in the body. So, if the jaw is in the correct position, then the rest of the muscles of the face and head, in general, are not subject to heavy loads and do not experience discomfort. When the joint is displaced to one side, the center of gravity of the head changes, as a result of which not only the head, but also the neck begins to suffer. In addition, cranial nerves can be pinched, causing a person to experience constant spasms.
Unpleasant sensations when it reduces, the jaw hurts, can be present both day and night. And at night, the pain can become even stronger. Much here depends on the psychological state of the person. Any stressful situation, lack of sleep can cause increased pain.
Reasons
Before starting the fight against the disease, the doctor must find out its cause. Only this will help determine the tactics of treatment and prevent relapses in the future.
Why is my jaw cramping? The main culprits are:
• constant stress, nervousness, which force you to react violently to what is happening;
• bruxism (a person grinds their teeth in their sleep);
• muscle tension and spasm due to uneven load;
• dental diseases;
• physiological feature of yawning;
• pathological changes in the cervical vertebrae.
Why reduces the lower jaw
There are situations when only the lower jaw reduces. The reason for this phenomenon, as a rule, is a violation of the trigeminal nerve. In this case, the main symptom manifests itself in the form of severe paroxysmal pain, which can spread both to the teeth and to the entire half of the face. Such feelings are temporary. The duration of pain does not exceed half an hour, after which they subside.
The same feature of pain is also characteristic ofoncological diseases of the head, oral cavity and nasopharynx. Therefore, if the jaw has crumpled and there is a suspicion that the cause of this is a cancerous disease, you should immediately contact a medical facility where, using CT, MRI, X-rays and biopsies, they will conduct a complete diagnosis for the presence of a neoplasm.
Injury pain
Everyone knows that surgical interventions in the jaw area, various injuries and injuries to the face and neck do not go unnoticed. As a result of a strong blow to the face, a jaw fracture can occur. In addition, the jaw joint may be damaged, due to which the jaws will be in the wrong position and lose mobility, and an attempt to close them will be accompanied by acute pain in the joint area. If the pain is associated with an injury, swelling often appears at the site of injury.
Bruxism
Such a disease as bruxism is manifested by a strong clenching of the jaws in a dream and grinding of teeth. As a result of the disease, the teeth become less stable and begin to loosen. Plus, crowns wear out. Often, this pathology leads to dysfunction of the maxillotemporal joint.
Bruxism is characterized by spasmodic pain that appears after waking up. The pain can give not only to the jaw, but also spread throughout the head. People with this disease often complain that their teeth and jaw are cramping, which indicates joint strain.
Many "owners"bruxism may not even be aware of the existence of the disease until someone informs them that they grind their teeth in a dream, or until they visit the dentist, who sees that there is a problem.
Arthritis
This disease is very common among the elderly. Moreover, it can concern not only the joints of the upper and lower extremities, but also the face, including the temporomandibular joint. Therefore, if the jaw has crumpled in a person who is over 60 years old, this may indicate arthritis of the jaw joint. In this case, the joint is deformed, as a result of which it cannot properly perform the tasks assigned to it.
Arthritis is characterized by pain after chewing or talking. Pain disappears at rest.
Closing jaw in sleep
Quite often, general practitioners hear complaints about the fact that the jaw cramps during a night's rest. This happens, as a rule, due to the transferred neuroses and stresses. During sleep, our body relaxes, and muscle tension due to stress can cause a change in the position of the jaw. In this situation, doctors recommend taking drugs that calm the nervous system, such as Persen. It is also important that the medication contains antispasmodics, which will relieve muscle spasms.
Before starting treatment, it does not hurt to visit a neurologist. He will analyze the situation and give recommendations on whether medication is needed or not.
Jaw spasms when yawning
Equally common are complaints about jaw cramps when yawning. Their frequency is due to the fact that people yawn often, and during this process, the tone of the jaw muscles is lost for a certain time. If there was residual tension before yawning, then at the end of the process the muscles become hypertonic, the jaw joint undergoes an increased load, as a result of which the jaw reduces.
If convergence occurs with every small yawn, especially when the process is accompanied by pain and slight swelling, you should go to a neurologist, traumatologist or dentist. There is a possibility that in this way an old injury makes itself felt or an orthodontic defect develops in the oral cavity. Also, a tumor in this area can interfere with a full yawn.
One way or another, if there is discomfort when yawning, it is recommended to apply a cooling compress. On this day, grated food should be consumed so as not to strain the jaw muscles while chewing and give the joint a chance to rest.
Treatment
If the jaw is crumpled on one side and in parallel with this there is fever and swelling, the first thing to do is to contact the surgeon. It is possible that this condition arose as a result of purulent inflammation in this place. Similar symptoms may indicate the development of a paratonsillar abscess associated with tonsillitis.
When reducing the lower part of the face on one side with irradiation to the orbit, inflammation can be suspectedfacial artery. In this case, you should visit a surgeon.
Strong and boring pain radiating to the jaw may indicate inflammation of the trigeminal nerve, and here you can not do without a visit to a neurologist.
If your jaw is cramping due to misalignment of your teeth, you will need the help of a dentist to fit splints and dentures to avoid problems in the future.
Persistent pain in the jaw can signal the appearance of a tumor in the facial area. As the disease progresses, the pain will become more severe and aching. Therefore, if the reduction of the jaw and pain are observed for a long time and the pain is pulsating, you should immediately consult a doctor in order to start treatment in time and stop the growth of the tumor.
