Home Wisdom teeth Contracts the left side of the jaw. Jaw cramps: causes, methods and features of treatment

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Contracts the left side of the jaw. Jaw cramps: causes, methods and features of treatment

The phenomenon in which the jaw cramps is quite common, which is why people hardly pay attention to it. Meanwhile, this can occur from nerves or be a symptom of a more complex disease, and in some cases, if left untreated, can lead to complications.

Those who have lower jaw cramps often and painfully.

What to do if pain in the cheekbones recurs frequently, even when a person simply yawns? The best solution would be to see a doctor and have an examination.

Discomfort and pain in the lower jaw area usually occurs due to various diseases.

A sign of the disease is pain in the lower jaw. It may occur in the following cases:

while yawning;
due to certain dental diseases;
for problems with the spine, including osteochondrosis;
during nervous or muscle strain;
Often the jaw cramps in sleep in people who grind their teeth.

Spasms can be short or long, and often occur in pregnant women. In addition, people who have suffered a skull injury often have a headache and a cramp in their jaw.

In advanced cases, pain can spread to the teeth and even to the entire half of the face. Usually the pain goes away within half an hour.

Grounds and causes of the phenomenon

It is better to consult a specialist if your jaw often hurts or cramps. The reasons for this phenomenon are varied, from loss of muscle tone to serious injuries or dental problems. The doctor himself will determine why the cheekbones are cramped and determine the reasons for treatment. He will also appoint a doctor who will depend on the cause of the pain in the lower jaw: dentist, traumatologist, neurologist, surgeon, etc.

Traumatic injury to facial muscles

One of the most serious causes of jaw reduction is injury. If the patient has had a bruise, fracture, dislocation of part of the face or neck, this must be reported to the doctor immediately. With such injuries, the lower jaw is often affected, joints and bones are displaced. The victim experiences severe pain.

If jaw spasms actually occur after an injury, the patient is immediately sent for treatment: and compresses are applied to the bruises.

Nervous system or cardiac disorders

Facial spasms may not be due to mechanical injuries, and because of psychological problems or malfunction nervous system. In moments of aggression, fear or other stressful situations, a person may not even notice changes in the body. At the same time, the muscles of the spine, neck, face, shoulders and abdominal cavity tense up. Nervous spasm occurs as a result of muscle overstrain.

Spasms of the cheekbones are sometimes echoes of heart disease. The pain may radiate to the cheekbones. This case needs to be diagnosed as early as possible, treatment will focus on the underlying cause: heart problems. If you suspect a stroke, heart attack or angina, call an ambulance immediately.

Inflammation of the joint capsule of the temple and cheekbones

Often the phenomenon is associated with dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint. It contains a capsule that comes into operation when muscles move: when a person bites, chews, yawns, speaks, laughs, etc. She suffers from arthritis or bruxism - grinding her teeth while sleeping.

With arthritis, painful sensations in the jaw appear after prolonged chewing of food or communication.

Grinding of teeth and clenching of jaws during sleep

The phenomenon in which a person clenches and grinds his teeth while sleeping is called burxism. It is considered a dental problem. People susceptible to this disease tense and clench their jaws so much during sleep that From the outside it looks like a spasm.

This pathology can be cured, and it is better to do this as early as possible.

Loss of muscle tone with frequent yawning

Often the lower jaw cramps during yawning. This is due to frequent yawning: muscles temporarily lose tone. In the case when tension remained before yawning, the jaw joint suffers increased stress. This causes the jaw to shrink.

In general, this phenomenon is not dangerous. But if pain occurs even during a slight yawn, it is better to consult a doctor. There is a possibility that these are echoes of an old trauma. In the worst case scenario, a tumor interferes with painless yawning.

Diseases of the teeth and oral cavity

Pain in the lower jaw may have dental causes:

. A new tooth often causes pain in the cheekbones and base of the jaw. The treatment method is chosen by the dentist: sometimes the wisdom tooth needs to be removed, and sometimes it is enough to open the gum hood in the area where it is erupting new tooth. The decision is made after examination and x-rays.
Infection. Occurs when there are problems with teeth and untimely treatment. In this case, first of all, it is necessary to treat the tooth, restore it or remove it. Then infection V oral cavity treated with antibiotics.
Caries, periodontitis or limited. With such diseases, swelling occurs, spreading to the jaw muscles. Doctors' attention is paid to treating teeth or gums, after which problems with pain in the facial joints should go away on their own. We can find out why caries occurs in the following video:

Therapy methods

When pain is accompanied by swelling and high temperature, there is a possibility that this happens due to purulent inflammation or peritonsillar abscess with angina. In both options, you need to immediately go to a therapist or surgeon.

If the cheekbones are cramped on only one side of the face, and the pain radiates into the eye socket, this may be inflammation facial artery. The surgeon will help again.

Drilling strong pain with irradiation to the jaw, it indicates inflammation of the trigeminal nerve; a neurologist will help to cope with this.

Wisdom teeth or misaligned teeth that lead to jaw spasms can be resolved by visiting a dentist. If an incorrect position of the dentition is discovered in a child, you need to contact a dentist as soon as possible: he will not only solve the problem with pain in the cheekbones, but will also help to aesthetically align the row. The same procedure is possible in adulthood, but it is more painful.

Persistent or frequent pain in the jaw is likely due to the appearance of a tumor, and the pain becomes more severe over time. If you experience regular, progressive and throbbing pain, you should urgently visit a doctor to prevent the growth and development of the tumor.

Analysis and diagnosis of pathology

Diagnosis will depend on the nature of the disease. If you don’t know who exactly to contact, start with a therapist, he will prescribe the necessary doctor.

Dentist. He's doing dental problems: the doctor will determine the cause, examine the teeth, and, if necessary, take an x-ray.
Neuropathologist. Suitable for cases where the jaw begins to cramp after nervous tension or disorders.
Traumatologist. A doctor who deals with mechanical injuries of the body. He will be able to determine what caused the pain in the jaw: a bruise, a fracture or a dislocation.
Cardiologist. People who have pain in the jaw are just a consequence of heart disease go to him.

Selection of effective treatment methods

Treatment of each individual case requires establishing the cause. Once the cause becomes known, a doctor is selected to begin treatment. Most often, it is enough to deal with the source of discomfort: infection or toothache, traumatic injuries.

If the cheekbones are cramped due to other diseases, they also first of all treat the main disease: this happens with heart problems, burxism, tumors.

If muscle tone is lost, a massage of the neck and spine is sufficient. For bruises and minor injuries, a few compresses are enough. During times of tension due to psycho-neurological disorders, it is necessary to relax, which massage will also help with.

Jaw cramps - it's time to seek help medical assistance so as not to further aggravate the situation.

Why does my jaw cramp?

If your jaw tightens so much that it is simply impossible to open your mouth, then this is a symptom that you may have developed trismus, which occurs as a result of irritation trigeminal nerve. In this case, jaw movement is very difficult and causes severe pain.

When trismus occurs, the masticatory muscles of the jaw become very tense and may even become hard to the touch. When the jaw contracts, the teeth are clenched very tightly, and the temporomandibular joint is virtually immobilized. In this case, the patient either cannot open his mouth at all or opens it very little. At this moment, a person may not only have speech impairment, but also breathing. And all this, of course, greatly affects the patient’s neuropsychic state, which further aggravates the situation. Very often, the occurrence of trismus becomes the reason that a person actually cannot eat. And if you ignore a visit to the doctor, it can lead to disruption digestive system and exhaustion of the body.

When the jaw cramps, muscles such as the temporalis, masseter, and internal pterygoid are usually to blame.

This process can develop on both sides at once. If the jaw muscles are contracted on one side, then the patient experiences a deviation of the lower jaw in the direction opposite to the tension. And it looks outwardly as if the face is distorted.

Why does my jaw cramp?

This unpleasant phenomenon can arise from the most various reasons. Very often the jaw cramps due to inflammatory processes in the lower or upper jaw, jaw joint or periodontal tissues, inflammation of the trigeminal nerve. This phenomenon can also occur as a result of a fracture or displacement of the jaw. Sometimes trismus is a witness to much more serious pathological processes and indicates that the patient is beginning to tumor pathology in the brain or occurred hemorrhage into it.

The jaw muscles can cramp due to pouring ice on the face or even just cold water. Very often, trismus occurs after a strong blow to the jaw. If your jaw is cramping, you shouldn’t hope that it will go away on its own. Sometimes this may be evidence that a person has been infected with the rabies virus or tetanus.

What to do if your jaw cramps

When making a diagnosis, it is very important to distinguish true trismus from some other problems that cause a similar picture: inflammatory processes in the oral cavity, arthrosis mandibular joint or facial bone fracture.

Only after establishing the true cause of trismus can we proceed to its treatment, based on the reasons that caused it. In cases where the patient cannot open his mouth at all, a Botox injection is made into the spasmed muscle to examine the oral cavity.

If trismus occurs against the background of any disease, then all efforts of doctors are directed towards its treatment. In cases where the spasm is neurotic in nature, the patient is prescribed sedatives which helps stabilize it mental condition and relieve the spasm.

When trismus develops against the background of inflammatory processes, then initial stage Treatment is aimed at suppressing the infection. For this purpose, antibiotics or sulfonamides are used. And to reduce spasm, antispasmodic drugs are prescribed.

To prevent the patient from becoming exhausted, food is introduced into his body artificially, and fluid is administered intravenously.

dentistry, jaw , jaw tightened lockjaw ,

Spasms or painful sensations in the jaw can indicate the presence various diseases body. It is not always possible to determine the cause on your own, and if the spasms do not go away on their own, but cause concern, you need to consult a specialist and undergo an examination.

Why does my jaw cramp?

This symptom is not separate disease, and the reasons for its occurrence can be very different. The symptom may occur once and go away immediately, or it may recur. The most common causes of jaw spasms are:

Dental diseases;
Frequent overvoltage;
Nervous tension;
Osteochondrosis or other diseases of the spine in the cervical region;
Bruxism (grinding teeth in sleep);
After yawning;
Pain after injury;
Pregnant women sometimes experience jaw cramps; the symptom can be either short-term or long-lasting.

Each case requires attention from specialists, so there is no need to try to make a diagnosis yourself. Determine the cause and prescribe the necessary and correct treatment Only a doctor can.

Types of jaw pain and spasms

Teeth grinding during sleep or bruxism. If you have a headache the next morning and feel pain and tension in your jaw, this indicates bruxism. But determining on your own what causes your jaw to cramp in your sleep is not so easy. If only someone hears chewing in a dream and reports it. As a result of constant grinding of teeth during sleep, the tooth enamel, teeth and crowns wear down and become loose.
Tightens cheekbones and jaws. The causes of such spasms can be diseases: arthritis, arthrosis and joint dysfunction and vascular diseases. The main thing is to consult a doctor in time for a correct diagnosis and timely treatment.
Only reduces the lower jaw. This disease can develop as a result of damage to the trigeminal nerve, which is responsible for innervation of the face. In this case, periodic pain will radiate to the teeth and one half of the face; they can last for 10-20 minutes. It is imperative to conduct an examination to exclude oncological diseases oral cavity, nasopharynx, head and muscles.
Muscle spasms and stuffiness in the ears. The causes of this symptom may be: lesions of the larynx and tonsillitis; tumors in the nasopharynx; neuralgia. The habit of talking on the phone, which is clamped between the shoulder and ear, can adversely affect health and cause the diseases mentioned above. To relax the muscles, it is recommended to apply heat and massage the area under the ear. If muscle spasm is accompanied by congestion in the ears, then you should definitely consult an otolaryngologist. Only a specialist will determine the diagnosis and prescribe the correct treatment.
Muscle spasm when yawning. Perhaps there was an injury, and therefore the muscles contract convulsively after yawning or during the process, and there is also slight swelling in the area of the injury. In this case, cooling compresses and switching to soft foods are recommended. A surgeon, neurologist or dentist can determine the causes and make a diagnosis.
Muscle spasm and headache . Pain occurs throughout the head or temples. IN in this case the reasons can be very different: sedentary work and computer work; fatigue and lack of fresh air; nervous tension and migraine; the result of injuries to the jaw and spine. Need to be there more often fresh air and also take a break and rest from work. During headaches, a cold compress will help and light massage temporal region.
Arthritis. This disease can occur not only on the limbs, but also on the temporomandibular part of the face. This problem is typical for older people and over 60 years of age. A joint cannot perform its functions correctly if it is deformed. Therefore, pain occurs while talking or eating. When you relax, the pain goes away.
Nervous muscle spasm. When muscles are in constant tension, this leads to their spasm, while there may be no damage. With nervous tension, the jaw may cramp in sleep, and numbness of individual muscles may occur in the absence of tone; pain and muscle cramps may appear. All these symptoms indicate the experience stressful situation, anger or intense fear. They can also be the result of inflammation of the nerves or neuralgia. With such symptoms, consultation with a neurologist is necessary. You can try to relax on your own, take depressant, massage the muscles. But if symptoms recur, you should not self-medicate.
Dental nature of the disease. Possible reasons jaw spasms can be caused by the following dental diseases: abscess, periodontitis, limited osteomyelitis, caries or pulpitis with complications. Problems in the gums can cause swelling and compression of the nerve fibers, resulting in pain and spasms in the jaw.
Jaw cramps when chewing food. If there has been an injury, damage or dislocation of the joint, then spasms may occur when chewing food. First, the muscles tense, and during chewing an involuntary contraction occurs.
Jaw cramps from sour foods or drinking alcohol. The jaw may cramp when there are problems with salivation or swallowing problems. Certain foods can cause esophageal spasms, which in turn cause jaw spasms. It is recommended to undergo examination by a neurologist or gastroenterologist.

When to go to the doctor

It is necessary to observe the nature of pain and spasms. And get examined by a doctor if you experience the following symptoms:

In the period before seeing a doctor, you need to try to reduce the load on the jaw (do not open your mouth wide, do not talk a lot, do not eat solid foods). For tolerable pain not to accept pain reliever so that the doctor can determine the exact symptoms. An x-ray should also be taken to determine if there is any damage. bone tissue or joint dislocation.

When the jaw cramps on only one side of the face, and swelling appears and the temperature rises, this may be the result of purulent inflammation. You should urgently contact a surgeon. But similar symptoms also occur with peritonsillar abscess.

When it drives bottom part jaw and the pain radiates to the eye, then most likely the facial artery is inflamed. In this case, also contact a surgeon.

The reason why the jaw cramps may be due to incorrect positioning of the teeth. Then you should contact a dentist, he will install the necessary dentures or splints, which will help correct the defect.

Strong throbbing jaw pain may be a symptom of inflammation of the trigeminal nerve. With such symptoms, contact a neurologist.

Constant pain that becomes stronger over time indicates a progressive tumor in this area. You urgently need to consult a doctor so that he can identify the problem and prescribe the correct treatment.

Untimely sanitation of the dentition can provoke a spasm. In this case, the affected tooth is painful; pus may separate from the gums or accumulate inside the tissues. The abscess is accompanied by swelling and redness of the cheek. For toothache pain syndrome extends to top part faces.

There are situations when only the lower jaw is cramped. The cause of this phenomenon, as a rule, is a violation of the trigeminal nerve. In this case 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 sensations are temporary. The duration of the pain does not exceed half an hour, after which it subsides.

The same feature of pain is characteristic of oncological diseases head, oral cavity and nasopharynx. Therefore, if your jaw is cramped and there is a suspicion that the reason for this is cancer, you should immediately contact medical institution, where using CT, MRI, X-ray and biopsy will be carried out full diagnostics for the presence of a neoplasm.

Reduction or spasm of the jaw can be of several types:

trismus - a tonic spasm associated with the development of pathology of the mandibular joints;
contracture - reflex contraction of the group masticatory muscles against the background of pathological conditions of the maxillofacial area;
ankylosis - closure of teeth caused by persistent intra-articular deformation.

Regardless of the type of jaw spasm, each of them is associated with TMJ disorders. The exception is periodic cases.

Etiology pathological condition has any kind common reasons. In most cases, doctors are faced with trismus of the masticatory muscles.

Symptoms:

Clicking, crunching, grinding when the jaw moves.
Limitation of amplitude when opening the mouth.
Pain when opening the mouth in the joint area, cervical region, faces.
Difficulty chewing, communicating, breathing.

Causes

In this article we will look at the reasons why the jaw cramps, we will figure out when to sound the alarm, and when it is enough to alleviate the syndrome at home.

An unpleasant sensation in the jaw area indicates dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint.

Like all joints, this one has its own capsule (bag), in which quite complex movements of several muscles occur. And this is not surprising, because the jaw is involved in many life processes: chewing and biting, communication, yawning, coughing, laughter, etc.

Many scientists believe that this joint also serves as the center of balance in the body. If the jaw is symmetrical natural position, then other muscles of the face and head generally do not experience increased stress and discomfort.

If the joint shifts to either side, then the center of gravity of the head also changes, which affects not only it, but also the neck. Cranial nerves may also become pinched, causing the patient to experience chronic spasms.

Pain, discomfort and other unpleasant symptoms may develop during the day or intensify at night, and also depend on the psychological comfort of the patient. Any stress or lack of sleep can lead to increased pain.

Before dealing with the manifestations of the disease, the doctor should reliably know the cause. Then he will be able to determine tactics to influence the area in order to prevent future relapses.

Let's consider the main causes of pathology:

regular stress, nervousness and panic attacks forcing the patient to react violently to the situation;
bruxism (a person has the habit of grinding his teeth);
spasm and tension of muscle fibers in the area, which may be due to uneven distribution of the load;
dental diseases and anatomical pathologies;
physiology of yawning;
illnesses of cardio-vascular system;
pathologies of the cervical vertebrae, neuralgia, etc.

If you did not find your cause in this list, then most likely, spasms in the temples or jaw area are caused by everyday activities:

routine work that requires you to sit for a long time, especially in a room with a computer and without access to fresh air;
frequent headaches and migraines;
physical fatigue;
stress, increased nervousness;
previously suffered injuries to the jaw or vertebrae.

These causes do not require medical intervention or targeted treatment. If your jaw is cramped, take a break, stretch and breathe some air, and to relieve spasm and discomfort, do acupressure jaw or temples, apply a cool compress.

Before starting to fight the disease, the doctor must find out its cause. Only this will help determine treatment tactics and prevent relapses in the future.

It happens that the jaw cramps, and it is not always possible to independently determine the causes of this condition. This condition can cause a normal spasm, it can pass without any serious consequences, but the possibility of serious complications cannot be ruled out.

Spasms that reduce the oral cavity can be either isolated or occur with considerable frequency. There can be many reasons for the manifestation, here are some of them:

Reduces the jaw from permanent nerves;
Bruxism (grinding teeth in sleep);
Muscle strain;
Dental diseases;
Residual processes after yawning;
Diseases of the cervical vertebrae.

Patients who have experienced this unpleasant symptom, they really want to figure out why their jaws are cramping. If your jaw cramps, this can be due to various reasons:

dental diseases;
period of bearing a child;
physical or emotional stress;
osteochondrosis or other pathologies of the cervical spine;
various types of injuries.

In addition, this pathology can be explained by bruxism (grinding teeth during sleep). When only the lower jaw cramps, it is most often associated with damage to the trigeminal nerve. In addition to jaw reduction, short intense pains appear that radiate to the teeth or affect the entire half of the face. The entire attack usually lasts no more than 20 minutes, after which the patient experiences relief.

The cheekbones and jaw can shrink due to dental diseases:

inflammation of the root membrane of the teeth (periodontal tissue) and adjacent tissues;
gradual destruction of hard tooth tissues;
inflammation neurovascular bundle(pulp) located inside the tooth.