Jaw cramps: causes, methods and treatment features. Why the lower jaw cramps - read VSD jaw cramps

Spasm chewing muscles- this is a condition familiar to many.

Doctors call this pathology trismus, and people say that the jaw is cramped. Spasms that reduce the jaw joint can make themselves felt only occasionally or are repeated quite often.

Reasons

Patients who have encountered such an unpleasant symptom really want to understand why their jaws are cramping. If your jaw cramps, this could be explained for 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.

Besides, this pathology may be due to bruxism (grinding teeth in sleep). When only the lower jaw cramps, it is most often due to damage trigeminal nerve. In addition to the reduction of the jaw, short intense pain, which 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.

While chewing

When the jaw cramps during chewing, this may indicate a previously experienced trauma to the jaw apparatus. This is especially true when it comes to stress. masticatory muscles when eating solid food. If a person has a history (even a minor one), then during meals involuntary contractions of the masticatory muscles occur.

Trismus while eating can make itself felt after consumption acidic foods or alcoholic drinks. They can provoke esophagospasm, causing jaw spasm. With dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) or problems with salivation (salivation), spasms of the muscles of the jaw apparatus also develop.

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Jaw pain

Cheekbone spasm from nerves

The nervous system reacts sharply to even the slightest changes in the body, and one of the manifestations of this can be discomfort or spasm in the jaw. The psychosomatic component manifests itself in the fact that symptoms of damage to the nervous system may not be observed, but muscle fibers those under severe tension still cause a spasm.

With psycho-emotional stress, the jaw also cramps during night rest. If a person experiences convulsions, myalgia or trismus, then most likely before this he was very frightened or had an outburst of anger. If your jaw and cheekbones are cramped from nerves, then you should relax and do a self-massage of your jaw.

In addition, the jaw cramps when affected peripheral nerves, for neuralgia, as well as in patients registered with a psychiatrist.

In this case, you cannot do without consulting relevant specialists.

While yawning

Spasms may occur when yawning. Typically, this symptom is encountered by patients who have a history of jaw trauma. Against this background, he may experience slight swelling of the face and spasms during yawning. Only specialized specialists can probably find out the reason for this.

In addition, if yawning is accompanied by trismus, then cooling compresses can help eliminate the symptom. And to remove muscle hypertonicity, it is recommended to reconsider your diet: exclude hard foods, and give preference to those that have a soft structure.

Other reasons

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 of the neurovascular bundle (pulp) located inside the tooth.

Gum disease can cause swelling and compression of nerve fibers, which provoke. In addition, the jaw cramps when the larynx is affected, tonsillitis, or a tumor in the nasopharynx cavity. This symptom also sometimes occurs if a person has a cold. Another commonplace reason for a cramped jaw is the habit of talking on the phone, pressing it with your shoulder and ear.

Diagnostic methods

It is almost impossible to determine on your own at home what caused spasms in the jaw apparatus, therefore, if a cramping symptom occurs, you need to seek help from medical institution urgently.

This is especially appropriate if the following accompanying symptoms appear:

• strong pain syndrome in the jaw or headaches;
• swelling under the ears;
• persistent spasm on one side only;
• low-grade fever or febrile state;
• pain is throbbing and prolonged;
• pain radiates to the eyes;
• paroxysmal, involuntary contraction of muscles as a result of their overstrain in the lower part of the face.

Before meeting with a doctor, it is necessary to reduce the load on the jaw (do not open your mouth wide, talk less, refuse solid foods). If the pain is tolerable, then it is better not to use painkillers so that they do not blur the symptoms.

Can cause spasm of the jaw apparatus various pathologies, therefore necessary comprehensive diagnostics:

• urine and blood analysis;
• radiography;

Having received all the research results and carefully studied the medical history, the doctor will be able to make a final diagnosis and select an adequate effective therapy. To achieve this, the patient may need consultation from several specialists: dentist, neurologist, cardiologist, surgeon, traumatologist.

How to treat

If your jaw cramps, not everyone knows what to do. Pick up suitable treatment should be a specialist, based on the etiology of the pathology. This condition can be eliminated using various therapeutic regimens. The treatment method is selected based on the root cause that caused the symptom:

1. If the jaw is so tight that the patient cannot open his mouth for examination, then first of all Botox is injected into the pathological focus to relax the masticatory muscles. Although the effect does not last long, it is usually enough to warrant a thorough examination by a specialist.
2. If trismus is a symptom of some underlying somatic disease, then to relieve muscle tension they begin to urgently treat it.
3. If the reason is related to the patient’s psycho-emotional state, then he must be prescribed sedatives, based on bromide and sedative medicinal plants.
4. If such a symptom is caused by inflammatory processes, then antibacterial agents are prescribed to suppress the infectious process or eliminate the consequences of injury. The jaw is also immobilized and physiotherapeutic treatment is carried out.
5. In most cases, regardless of the cause that provoked trismus, the patient is prescribed muscle relaxants and neuropsychological drugs in parenteral form.

The jaw does not always cramp due to trismus. Sometimes this may be associated with taking antidepressants. When a person completes the therapeutic course, the jaw no longer cramps. If such a symptom bothers you only occasionally, it may indicate hypovitaminosis, so you need to eat more fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as take courses of synthetic multivitamins, especially in the off-season.

Massage

Massage sessions help get rid of pain and relieve spasms in the area of ​​the masticatory muscles and TMJ. Since the muscle fibers are located on the descending processes and on both sides of the lower jaw, and the TMJ is localized opposite auricle, then all massage manipulations should be very gentle with minimal effort.

Manipulations are performed with the middle and index fingers. They are carefully moved along the cheek, feeling the jaw joint. Apply pressure very gently so that the muscles relax and the pain goes away. Massage this area for no more than 30 seconds.

Warm and cold

Under the influence of heat, muscle fibers relax, and spasms are eliminated by improving blood circulation. You can use a warm water bottle or hot compress, in the absence of contraindications, which are applied to the pathological focus for 30 minutes.

To avoid causing burns, do not use compresses that are too hot.

If the jaw is cramped, then alternating warm and cooling effects can be a real godsend for the patient at home. Low temperatures eliminate the inflammatory process and reduce pain. Warm compress after 5-10 minutes, change to cold, and then apply heat again.

Patients often complain that their cheekbones are cramping. Spasmodic phenomena are well known to women during pregnancy. In this case, spasm of both the upper and lower jaw may develop. Only a doctor can determine the causes of this phenomenon.

In most cases, this condition does not pose a threat to health and goes away on its own. However, there are situations when the jaw cramps serious reasons, indicating the presence of dangerous pathologies in the body. Experts do not recommend ignoring the symptoms of spasm of the masticatory muscles and do not advise delaying contacting a doctor if they are detected.

Let's understand the concepts

Patients in this situation describe spasmodic manifestations differently. When the term “tightens the jaw or cheekbones” is used, it usually means characteristic discomfort in the area of ​​the dentofacial joint. This definition most accurately characterizes this state, despite the fact that in fact it is not correct, since the term “adduction” is most often used in relation to muscles, and not bones or joints.

Why does the upper jaw cramp?

To eliminate these unpleasant symptoms, it is extremely important to determine why the teeth or cheekbones are cramping. Spasms can be felt in both the upper and lower jaw joints. In both cases, the reasons for the development of spasmodic conditions are usually the same. However, there are exceptions.

If only the upper jaw is reduced, in most cases we're talking about about the consequences of installing braces, which are used to correct malocclusion or crooked teeth. Unpleasant sensations in this situation indicate correction of the jaw joints. For dental prosthetics, spasms of the cheekbones are normal, so they should not bother the patient. These symptoms go away on their own after a certain time.

Causes of cramps in the lower jaw

If the bones of the lower jaw are compressed, then unpleasant sensations arise in the area of ​​the chin, lower dentition and lips. A dentist, surgeon or neurologist will help you understand why this happens. These unpleasant sensations can be provoked by many factors of a dental or neurological nature.

IN in this case we may be talking about damage to the trigeminal nerve, which is responsible for the innervation of the face. This condition is characterized by the spread pain in the area where the teeth are located and on one side of the face. Attacks of pain usually last 10–20 minutes.

If the mandibular joints are cramped, it is recommended to first eliminate oncological diseases head, oral cavity and nasopharynx, since these dangerous pathologies in most cases they are accompanied by these symptoms. If this type of spasm is detected, it is recommended to urgently consult a doctor, who will prescribe an examination to identify signs of tumor formations.

Features of trismus

During pregnancy, women often report spasmodic sensations in the jaw area. There is a certain explanation for this. During the period of bearing a child, blood circulation in the body of the expectant mother is defective, as a result of which spasms in the jaws periodically occur. Women should not worry about these symptoms as they go away after pregnancy.

The jaw bones can also be reduced in the presence of diseases such as:

• arthrosis;
• arthritis;
• disruption of the normal functioning of the joint;
• pathologies of blood vessels, in which they are poorly supplied with blood.

Spasmodic phenomena often accompany the process of chewing food and yawning. Jaw spasms may also occur after anesthesia. In some cases, strong feelings lead to these symptoms. Patients sometimes note that they have a headache.

When chewing and yawning

A dentist, neurologist or surgeon will help identify the cause of convulsive muscle contractions during yawning or chewing. This phenomenon may occur due to:

IN the latter case Massage of the face and chewing muscles will help eliminate discomfort. If you replace hard foods with soft foods, you can get rid of seizures. If you identify signs of bruxism (grinding your teeth in your sleep), you cannot do without the help of a doctor.

After anesthesia

Almost no dental procedure is performed without pain relief. After mandibular anesthesia, used in the case of dental intervention in the pterygomaxillary area, a hematoma may form. In this case, the patient experiences pain in the injured area and convulsive contractions of the jaw muscles occur.

After anesthesia, this condition can persist for about 7 days, in specific treatment it doesn’t need it because it goes away on its own. During this period, the patient is recommended to switch to liquid food and regularly do special exercises to develop jaw mobility.

Simultaneously with headache

Factors provoking painful sensations in the temporal region or in the entire head if there are cramps in the jaw, there can be a lot. Among them are:

• overwork;
• prolonged work in a sitting position, including at the computer;
• migraine;
• nervous tension;
• consequences of spinal and jaw injuries;
• lack of fresh air.

To eliminate painful sensations, you need to take breaks from work as often as possible and, if possible, avoid long periods of time at the computer. When there is pressure in the temples, it is useful to do a light massage of the temporal area. If it hurts occipital part head, it is recommended to apply a cold compress. To exclude specified symptoms you need to be in the fresh air as often as possible.

Because of worries

The body reacts differently to stressful situations. During severe shocks or experiences, a person may experience convulsive contractions of the jaw muscles. With prolonged nervous overstrain, convulsions may appear at night. If this happens, you need to try to relax and distract yourself from problems. Good effect gives an independent jaw massage. In cases where you cannot find peace of mind, you should contact a neurologist, otherwise you can trigger the situation, provoking dangerous mental disorders.

Symptoms of trismus of masticatory muscles

Trismus of the jaw is a tonic spasm of the masticatory muscles, in which there is a limitation or loss of motor ability of the temporomandibular joint. As a result, the jaws become clenched and are difficult or impossible to open. In the photo below you can see what this phenomenon looks like.

There are characteristic symptoms trismus of the jaw. This condition can be recognized by the following signs:

1. Jaw cramps. In this case, a spasm of the masticatory and temporal muscles occurs on one or both sides, a strong tension is felt in them, and when palpated, swelling and compaction of the tissues are revealed.
2. The mouth practically does not open. In severe cases of trismus, it is impossible to move the teeth even slightly apart.
3. When you try to open your jaw, you feel pain.
4. Hyperthermia may develop.
5. There are difficulties with eating and breathing.

There are several forms of trismus of the masticatory muscles. At mild degree disease, the mouth opens by 3–4 cm, with moderate disease – by 1–2 cm, with severe disease – by 1 cm or less.

Help with cramps

If symptoms of trismus of masticatory muscles occur, consulting a doctor is inevitable. Treatment of this phenomenon depends on the nature of the disease that provoked its development:

1. When trismus occurs due to problems of the nervous system, they are used sedatives(products containing potassium or sodium bromide, valerian tincture).
2. If trismus is a consequence of inflammation, medications are prescribed to eliminate the consequences of injury or the source of infection (sulfonamide drugs, antibiotics). Along with this, the jaw is immobilized and physiotherapeutic procedures are carried out.
3. Injuries that lead to the development of trismus are eliminated with the help of surgical methods or by restoring the shape of joints dislocated as a result of dislocation.

To develop mobility of the jaw joints, the patient is necessarily prescribed a special set of exercises. Long-term treatment involves placing the patient in a hospital.

Chronic disorders in the lower or upper area jaw bone, causing discomfort to a person, one way or another indicate certain pathologies.

If your jaw cramps under certain circumstances no more than once every 1-2 months, then in most cases there is nothing to worry about. But, if the pathology appears constantly or is accompanied by severe symptoms, then a more in-depth diagnosis is required.

There are many reasons why the jaw cramps. But even severe pain is not always associated with serious disorders. But in any case, when long-term storage symptoms, you should consult a doctor.

Why does the lower jaw bother you?

If the patient has cramps lower jaw, while acute spasms radiate to the teeth or one side of the face, this indicates. The pathology is characterized by a short course - 10-20 minutes a day, several attacks.

For diagnosis and treatment, you need to contact a surgeon or neurologist. The specialist will prescribe additional examination, which will exclude diseases such as tumors, damage to the nasopharynx or muscle tissue.

If your cheekbones and jaw are cramped

If pain is observed in the upper and lower jaw, this indicates arthritis, arthrosis or other joint disorders.

Important! Similar signs are detected in vascular diseases - as a result of circulatory disorders.

If you start treatment on time and do not ignore the growing symptoms, you can avoid surgical intervention and other complex consequences.

If a spasm occurs when yawning

A dentist or neurologist will help you determine why your cheekbones and jaw cramp when you open your mouth wide. Often the symptoms are associated with injuries, which remain an echo in the form of a spasm activated by yawning. Sometimes there is slight swelling in the damaged area.

Additional symptom: headache

If the jaw starts to tighten suddenly, and there is also pain in the head, then this indicates several possible factors:

• lack of fresh air indoors;
• excessive mental and emotional stress;
• staying in a sitting position for long periods of time while working;
• migraine;
• fatigue;
• spinal or jaw injuries.

If a symptom is detected when sedentary work, you can do a cold compress and massage your temples, and then walk for 10-15 minutes or take a walk outside.

Nervous overstrain

Any unpleasant incidents affecting nervous system, can cause various symptoms, including cramps and facial spasms. Sometimes cheekbones cramp during sleep due to nervous tension, and during the day the patient experiences discomfort.

Blocks ears due to jaw pain

If you have problems with your ears due to jaw cramps, you should consult an otolaryngologist. Often with such symptoms, diseases of the larynx, tonsillitis, and, less often, tumors are detected.

The reason may also be that formed due to propping the head with one's hand while working at the computer or talking on the phone. To get rid of a pinched muscle or nerve, you need to do a light massage behind and under the ear.

Cause: Bruxism

With bruxism, teeth clench tightly during sleep and grinding occurs. As a result, during the day the jaw cramps, the facial muscles ache, and it seems that the dental nerve is inflamed. When the pathology persists for a long time, the teeth suffer the most - the enamel is destroyed, the columns are erased, and the position of the incisors changes.

Dangerous diseases

The most dangerous pathologies requiring immediate medical intervention, in which the lower or upper jaw is reduced, is a disease of the heart and blood vessels. For example, it may manifest itself with similar symptoms followed by numbness of one part of the face.

Cramps after eating

Some people have a specific reaction to alcohol, sweets and sours - their cheekbones cramp. This may be caused by esophageal spasm. Sometimes symptoms indicate problems with salivation or swallowing function.

Attack while eating

If discomfort occurs when chewing, this indicates a joint injury. This usually happens when chewing solid food. For temporary correction of pain, it is recommended to give up too hard food - undergo an examination and eliminate the cause.

Dental diseases

In some diseases, cheekbones and lower jaws are reduced: advanced caries, pulpitis, as well as other damage to nerves and gums. In combination with cramps, this symptom may indicate osteomyelitis, abscess and periodontitis. However, in most cases, pathologies are accompanied by unbearable pain.

Methods for diagnosing deviations

To begin treatment, you need to determine the primary reason why your jaw begins to cramp. To make a diagnosis, it is necessary to undergo several instrumental examinations:

• MRI and CT scan if the dentist or other doctor could not determine the cause at first glance;
• urine and blood tests will be required to identify inflammatory mediators and other elements in their composition;
• Be sure to take an x-ray to see the location of the bone lesions.

Consultation with several doctors is required. If the dentist and neurologist could not determine why the cheekbones are cramping, you should visit a cardiologist or otolaryngologist. They start visiting doctors with a therapist and getting referrals if we are talking about a public clinic.

Treatment of pathology

There is no single method of treating the symptom, which is characterized by cramps and spasms of the jaw. However, there are several areas of treatment, each of which is related to the nature of the problem:

• if the symptom is associated with an injury, then you first need to eliminate the cause - set the dislocation, perform an operation to eliminate the consequences of the fracture, remove the bruise with a cold compress;
• In case of heart pathologies, you need to get rid of the cause and, if necessary, undergo treatment in a hospital. If it is a stroke or heart attack, emergency assistance will be required, then therapy will be prescribed to eliminate the neurological causes;
• if the pathology occurs due to infections and inflammation, you need to undergo a course of antibiotic treatment;
• If dental disease is detected, you need to undergo dental therapy, involving a general practitioner or surgeon.

Sometimes the patient’s jaw cramps, acute painful attacks occur due to teething wisdom tooth. In most cases, these eights are removed, as they can destroy nearby standing teeth. To clarify the need for removal, you need to take an x-ray.

In some cases, doctors prescribe therapy with painkillers - NSAIDs and analgesics. This is required both for dental diseases and for lesions facial nerve, and also after injuries. However, taking painkillers is not recommended until diagnosis.

There are at least 6 groups of reasons why patients’ jaws cramp. And in each of them, both serious pathologies and temporary disorders that can be easily eliminated are found. But only on condition that a specialist is involved in the diagnosis and selection of a therapeutic direction.

There are no nerve endings in tooth enamel, but sometimes it seems that it is this that hurts. Such hypersensitivity (hyperesthesia) may be caused by thinning of the enamel or other dental pathologies in which dentinal tubules are exposed. Through them, food irritants penetrate the pulp, which contains sensitive nerve endings - which is why some people experience teeth cramps.

Manifestation of tooth sensitivity

Tooth hypersensitivity manifests itself in different ways. Symptoms depend on physiological characteristics the structure of the jaw, the nature of the pathology and the type of irritant that triggered the pain. But there are also general signs of this disease:

• spot It's a dull pain, which quickly arises and instantly subsides;
• appearance discomfort in the jaw area after eating certain foods: sweets, spicy food or alcoholic drinks;
• constant pain, almost never stopping and localized in a certain area oral cavity;
• the jaw cramps without obvious external reasons;
• the ache is felt exclusively in the molars.

If these symptoms occur, you should contact your dentist, since they not only cause discomfort, but also indicate the development of dental or internal pathologies.

Why the jaw and teeth are cramped: possible reasons

Some people tooth enamel thin from birth, in others - due to improper oral care, poor nutrition or internal diseases. Sometimes the problem can be solved with the help of special fluoridating pastes and dietary adjustments, but when serious pathologies it is necessary to build up tooth enamel using artificial methods. This is why it is so important to determine the cause of hyperesthesia.

Caries and poor oral hygiene

Lower teeth and upper jaw can reduce due to insufficient oral hygiene, when pathogenic microflora is not washed out of the mouth. Less commonly, the development of the disease is caused by brushing your teeth with a hard-bristled brush or toothpaste that contains the following substances:

• calcium carbonate;
• sodium bicarbonate;
• alumina.

The most common cause of toothache and aches is simple caries. As a result of the vital activity of pathogenic bacteria, tooth enamel is destroyed and thinned. Because of this, sensitive areas of the tooth are exposed - the dentinal tubules and pulp. The jaw cramps due to the fact that the pulp contains a nerve that reacts painfully to external stimuli: water, food, cold air.

Whitening tooth enamel

Teeth whitening in a dental clinic is accompanied by their treatment with active chemicals, which practically corrode the enamel. To prevent this from happening, you must follow your doctor’s instructions and also prepare for whitening by undergoing a course of preparatory and restorative therapy.

If your jaw cramps directly during the enamel whitening procedure or immediately after its completion, there is no need to worry. This is a completely natural phenomenon; pain and other unpleasant sensations will subside within a few hours.

Jaw cramps in sleep

Bruxism is the most obvious cause of hyperesthesia, since with frequent clenching of the jaws and grinding of teeth, the enamel cracks and shrinks, which leads to its increased sensitivity.

The jaw can cramp in sleep due to nerves: various stresses and emotional stress. This is due to the fact that when a person is in a sleepy state, all the muscles of his body relax. And due to a stressful state, an attack of bruxism may occur, which leads to a change in the position of the jaw and the occurrence of aching pain.

Headache and jaw aches

When you have a headache and a cramp in your jaw at the same time, you need to make sure there are no articular pathologies: arthritis, arthrosis and dysfunction of the mandibular joint. Such diseases are often accompanied by clicking sounds when opening the mouth and chewing.

Acute pain in the temple, accompanied by an aching jaw, may indicate a violation of blood circulation in the vessels. Most often, this pathology occurs in people who lead predominantly sedentary image life. If your jaw cramps regularly, you should do gymnastic exercises, thanks to which blood flow is normalized and muscle tone is improved.

Enamel demineralization and poor nutrition

Teeth can cramp due to demineralization of the enamel, when beneficial substances are slowly washed out of it:

• calcium;
• potassium;
• magnesium;
• fluorine;
• phosphorus.

In this case, it is necessary to undergo a procedure for remineralization of teeth and start taking vitamin and mineral complexes.

Can lead to thinning of tooth tissue poor nutrition. For example, active acids contained in freshly squeezed juices corrode the enamel, making it hypersensitive.

Inflammation of the trigeminal nerve

The lower jaw may cramp due to inflammation of the trigeminal nerve. With this disease, short but intense attacks of headache are observed. They usually last no more than half an hour. The pain spreads to the entire dentition and chin.

Only a doctor can determine why the lower jaw cramps. Inflammation of the trigeminal nerve is not the only cause of the manifestation similar symptom, therefore, if you experience pain in the head and aching jaw, you need to promptly visit the dentist.

Jaw cramps when yawning

Quite often, the jaw cramps due to a banal spasm of the jaw muscles when yawning. Sometimes the pain is accompanied by slight swelling of the tissue in the chin area after yawning. Such symptoms may indicate jaw injuries, due to which muscle tone has decreased.

For example, if the chin is bruised, muscle trismus of the face can form. In this case, you need to urgently go to the doctor, and before visiting the clinic, try to yawn carefully, only slightly opening your mouth while yawning.

Why does the jaw and cheekbones cramp?

When your cheekbones and jaw cramp, and aching pain appears after an attack, you should immediately consult a doctor. Simultaneous reduction of the jaw and cheekbones can be caused by serious pathologies:

• severe deficiency of blood supply - dizziness, deterioration of memory, vision, decreased mental activity, numbness of the extremities occurs;
• hypertensive crisis - heaviness in the chest, shortness of breath, numbness of the limbs and loss of sensitivity in the fingertips;
• tonsillitis – sore throat, difficulty swallowing;
• oncological disease of the ENT organs - stuffy ears, convulsions occur.

Cheekbones on the face shrink and for quite harmless reasons, for example, because frequent yawning. But it’s better to play it safe and get examined by a specialist so that, if necessary, you can start therapy for early stage diseases.

Diagnostic measures

The success of treatment depends on the quality of diagnosis. First, you need to understand why your jaw is cramping, and only then begin therapy aimed at eliminating the underlying disease and unpleasant symptoms. Diagnosis of jaw pain includes a number of actions:

• standard dental examination;
• questioning the patient about the location, duration, intensity, regularity and time of occurrence of pain (only during sleep or exclusively during the daytime);
• general blood and urine analysis;
• X-ray of the skull and problem area of ​​the jaw;
• computed tomography;
• MRI of the head and cervical spine.

Further examination is prescribed depending on the situation. If the research reveals pathologies other than dental ones, the patient will be referred to the appropriate specialist:

• jaw surgeon;
• neurologist;
• cardiologist;
• traumatologist

What to do if your jaw and teeth are cramping

Once the diagnosis is made, it begins complex therapy aimed at eliminating the cause of pain. Treatment tactics depend on the nature of the pathology:

• A dislocated jaw must be set, and if a fracture occurs, emergency surgery must be performed.
• If the cause of jaw muscle spasm is a disease cardiovascular system, it is necessary to undergo comprehensive treatment under the supervision of a cardiologist.
• If jaw pain is due to dental disease– deep caries, pulpitis, periodontitis – may be necessary antibacterial therapy. The diseased tooth will either be removed or filled.

If your jaw is cramped from overexertion and stress, you need to temporarily protect yourself from nervous situations. A relaxing massage and decoctions of sedatives are recommended. herbal infusions. In case of severe pathology, the doctor may prescribe a sedative; in case of severe pain, anesthetic drugs are used.

If it is known for sure that the jaw is cramped due to psychopathology, you can do various baths and compresses (not hot) before going to bed to relax the facial muscles and normalize the general condition of the body.

Jaw pain is a serious symptom that requires comprehensive examination and engaging effective therapeutic methods treatment. If you treat not the cause of the disease, but the symptoms, you may experience irreversible changes in the body.

According to statistics, every 10th adult experiences such an unpleasant symptom as jaw clenching during sleep at least once in their life. This is not surprising, because one of the causes of the phenomenon is considered to be stress, which in life modern man more than enough. How serious this symptom is, why your jaw cramps in your sleep and how you need to act to prevent the problem from happening again, you will learn from our article.

A condition in which the jaw cramps during sleep is observed due to spasms of the masticatory muscles. It is believed that the muscles of mastication are among the strongest in human body. They are exposed to serious stress every day when chewing, talking, laughing, and articulating. This load often causes dysfunction of the masticatory muscles and the occurrence of spasm in them. The most common muscle diseases are bruxism and trismus.

In addition, the development of such unpleasant symptom, like jaw clenching during sleep, can be observed with damage to the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and trigeminal neuralgia. Let's take a closer look at each of these reasons.

Bruxism: what is this disease?

Bruxism, also known as Carolini phenomenon and odonterism, is a condition in which the muscles of mastication contract uncontrollably and the jaw clenches. Most often, attacks of bruxism are observed during night sleep, but in some people they are also observed during the daytime.

Some people suffering from odonterism long time They don’t even realize they have this problem. The fact that they clench their jaws in their sleep can be told to them by close people who are nearby at that time. In this case, the sleeping person not only clenches his jaw tightly, but also makes an unpleasant sound with his teeth, similar to grinding.

If a person suffers from bruxism for a long time, a dentist can suggest the presence of this problem after examining the oral cavity. The fact is that when the jaws are tightly clenched and grinded, the antagonist teeth create a strong load on each other and over time their crowns can wear out.

Important: bruxism – dangerous condition. Frequent clenching of the jaws leads to the formation of cracks in the enamel and abrasion of dental crowns.

Causes of Bruxism

Stress and nervous overstrain are considered main reason Bruxism, however, is not the only one. Determining the causes of the disease remains a matter of disagreement among medical experts. Except psychological reasons, bruxism can be caused by:

• diseases of the nervous system;
• dental diseases and pathologies: malocclusion, presence of supernumerary teeth, edentia, incorrectly installed dentures;
• diseases of the ENT organs leading to impaired nasal breathing, such as rhinitis, proliferation of adenoids;
• lack of B vitamins necessary to maintain normal operation nervous system;
• taking certain medications;
• the presence of helminths (this theory is the most controversial).

Important: if bruxism occurs only during sleep, it is believed that it is caused by an increase in the tone of the masticatory muscles as a result severe overvoltage or overwork.

How does bruxism manifest?

If a person sleeps alone in a room, and his attacks of bruxism are nocturnal, he may for a long time not suspect there is a problem. The attacks last only a few seconds, so they rarely cause awakening. You can suspect bruxism based on the following signs:

• pain in the jaw area when waking up;
• tinnitus;
• headache;
• sleep disorders;
• pain during chewing;
• increased sensitivity of teeth caused by abrasion of tooth enamel;
• inflammation of the gums, their soreness.

Attacks of bruxism can be repeated several times every night or observed over long periods of time.

Bruxism can cause tooth decay.

What should I do?

To determine whether bruxism is the reason why your jaw cramps during sleep, you need to consult a dentist. The doctor will examine the oral cavity and may refer the patient for an x-ray.

To diagnose bruxism, brux checkers are used - these are overlays on teeth made according to individual prints the patient's jaws. The veneers are put on the teeth before going to bed, and the next morning they are removed and taken to the dentist for inspection. Brooks checkers allow you not only to determine the presence of a problem such as bruxism, but also to understand which teeth are experiencing heaviest load when clenching the jaws in sleep.

Read how to cure lip inflammation and for what reasons it can develop.

Treatment of bruxism is complex and requires a mandatory determination of the cause of the disease. Therapy should be aimed at relaxing the masticatory muscles; for this purpose, medicines(sedatives, sleeping pills, magnesium preparations, vitamin complexes), physiotherapeutic procedures (massage, compresses). Psychological techniques aimed at relaxation and stress relief can be effective.

Trismus: features of the disease

Another disease in which spasm of the masticatory muscles occurs is trismus. With trismus, the patient's jaw tightens to such an extent that it becomes impossible to open his mouth. Trismus can be unilateral or bilateral, in the latter case both sides of the face are affected. Bilateral trismus is more common.

Why does trismus develop?

The causes of trismus development may be infectious diseases and neurological diseases:

• severe nervous shock, stress;
• tumors (benign and malignant) in the brain;
• cerebral hemorrhages;
• meningitis;
• rabies;
• tetanus;
• epilepsy.

In addition, trismus can be triggered by a disease that develops in close proximity to the jaws, for example, osteomyelitis, periostitis and pericoronitis. Trismus can also develop due to severe trauma to the jaw.

Trismus symptoms

Trismus can be recognized by the main symptom – difficulty opening the mouth and limited movement in the TMJ. In addition, other signs of trismus are observed:

• muscle hardening, swelling, pain when trying to touch it;
• painful sensations when chewing food up to the impossibility of performing this process;
• difficulty, distortion of speech;
• clenched jaws (if trismus is bilateral);
• distortion of the face (with unilateral trismus).

If muscle spasm is observed for a long time, the person, due to the inability to eat normally, loses weight, becomes weak, and irritable.

How is trismus treated?

To treat trismus, it is important to determine its cause, and if it is another disease, then it is treated first. Physiotherapy procedures can be used: massage, electrophoresis, UHF, and heat treatment. Medications include muscle relaxants that relieve muscle spasms. This could be Flexeril, Sirdalud, Mydocalm. If trismus develops due to stress, the patient is prescribed medications with a sedative effect.

Trigeminal neuralgia

The reason why the jaw cramps may be an inflamed trigeminal nerve. It has 3 branches, one of which (the ophthalmic) passes at the level of the eyes, the second (maxillary) - at the level of the upper jaw, and the third (mandibular) - at the level of the lower jaw.

Symptoms of neuralgia

The location of the pain depends on which part of the nerve is affected.

The main symptom of neuralgia is acute, sharp pain in the area where the branches of the nerve pass, which patients often describe as bringing the jaws together. Painful attacks most often observed at night. The pain is intense, burning and sharp. The attack can last from several seconds to several minutes. Some people experience attacks hundreds of times a day.

For trigeminal neuralgia pathological process may affect one of its branches or the entire nerve. The lesion can be either unilateral or bilateral, but in 70% of cases right-sided neuralgia is observed.

Attacks of pain due to neuralgia can occur due to exposure to so-called trigger zones, and this can even be a light touch on the face while washing, applying makeup or brushing teeth. For each patient, the location of trigger zones may be different; most often they are localized in the corners of the lips, eyes, on the back of the nose, mucous membranes of the cheeks and gums.

During an attack of trigeminal neuralgia, involuntary contraction of the facial muscles is observed. Tearing and drooling, skin paleness or redness may occur.

Features of treatment

Important: in case of neuralgia, the speed of contacting a doctor and starting treatment is important. important role in recovery. On initial stages neuralgia can be cured medications, and in advanced cases surgery may be required.

When treated with medications, the patient is prescribed the anticonvulsant drug Carbamazepine. Baclofen, Gabagamma, Tebantin are prescribed to relieve pain.

The use of physiotherapeutic methods has a good effect: electrophoresis with novocaine, acupuncture, laser therapy. They are used as an adjunct to the main treatment.

If ineffective drug therapy surgery may be performed.

Read: how to use Hexalize.

Find out what a luxated tooth is and how it is treated.

TMJ lesion

In the area temporal bone The joint connecting the lower jaw to the skull is located - the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). It allows the lower jaw to move and perform a series of vital important functions: participate in the process of chewing, talking, yawning. Due to injuries inflammatory processes(arthritis), functional overload (arthrosis), diseases of the masticatory muscles, TMJ dysfunction can develop. In this case, the patient complains of following symptoms:

• pain that cramps the jaw, often radiating to other areas of the face - cheeks, forehead, temples;
• clicking in the joint when moving the chin;
• difficulty moving the jaws, difficulty opening the mouth.

If these symptoms appear, it is important to immediately contact your dentist for a diagnosis and treatment. Be healthy!

Dream Interpretation Teeth

On this page there are interpretations of our users’ dreams on the topic Teeth, if you want to know Why do you dream about Teeth in a dream?, then we recommend that you go to our dream book using the link below:

How are other dream books interpreted?

Vanga's Dream Book

Miller's Dream Book Tsvetkov's Dream Book Islamic dream book Muslim dream book

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Dream Interpretation Teeth are falling

Why do you dream about Teeth falling in a dream according to the dream book?

Teeth are falling - your body cannot resist viral diseases. Try to improve immune protection, include fruits and vegetables in your diet.

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in a dream it cramps your teeth and jaw!!! but only in a dream!!! periodically!!! what's the matter?

Answers:

Observer

We need to check our nervous system...

Jaw cramps

Dream Interpretation Crashing jaw dreamed of why in a dream the jaw cramps? To select a dream interpretation, enter keyword from your dream to the search form or click on initial letter an image characterizing the dream (if you want to get an online interpretation of dreams by letter for free alphabetically).

Now you can find out what it means to see your jaw cramping in a dream by reading below for free interpretations of dreams from the best online dream books Houses of the Sun!

Dream Interpretation – Jaw

A dream in which your entire jaw is torn apart due to a bad tooth foreshadows groundless accusations against you from your former supporters, and now irreconcilable opponents.

Seeing in a dream the terrible jaws of a shark or crocodile trying to grab you, foretells an illness in the family and large expenses for treatment.

A skeleton clattering its jaws in a dream is a sign of inexorable retribution. The bared jaws of a vampire, red from the blood of the victim, are a harbinger of trouble in love relationships. A blow to the jaw means betrayal by a person you completely trusted.

Dream Interpretation – False jaws

Seeing someone's false jaws means a big quarrel with best friend, perhaps due to betrayal. If you dreamed that you had false jaws, there could be serious discord in the family.

Imagine that the one who had false jaws in your dream inserted good implants(or his teeth grew on their own). Jaws are no longer needed and are thrown away or burned.

Dream Interpretation – Jaws

Seeing heavy, ugly jaws in a dream means disagreement and painful relationships between friends. Seeing yourself in the mouth of a wild animal portends that ill-wishers will harm your business and happiness. This is very unpleasant dream, capable of unsettling a person for a long time.

If your jaw hurts in a dream, you will move to another place to change the climate.

If you dream that you cannot unclench your jaw, the dream foreshadows severe grief due to the betrayal of a friend.

For a woman, this dream promises an insult that her friends will involuntarily inflict on her.

Dream Interpretation – Jaws

A dream in which you saw heavy, ugly jaws means that you may have disagreements with your friends.

If you find yourself in the mouth of a wild animal in a dream, in reality get ready for the machinations of ill-wishers. Try to forget this dream as soon as possible, otherwise it will unsettle you for a long time.

If your jaw hurts in a dream, then real life you should change the climate.

A dream in which you cannot unclench your jaw portends severe grief due to the betrayal of a friend. The woman who saw similar dream, something will greatly offend your friends.

Dream Interpretation – Jaws

Injuring the jaw means losing property.

If your jaw hurts in a dream, in reality you will change your place of residence to change the climate.

Finding yourself in the mouth of a wild animal is a dream that your ill-wishers will become completely unhinged and thereby greatly harm you.

Dream Interpretation – Jaws

Jaws - Insert - you face punishment for gossip and rumors that you spread. “Bite your tongue off.” Many animals, including sharks - your enemies are not asleep. There may be an attempt on your life, literally and figuratively. Ch.'s pain or injury is the treachery of people from whom you least expect it.

Dream Interpretation – Jaws

Jaws - try to make a firm decision - break - get ingratitude.

Dream Interpretation – Jaw

Seeing a jaw means being present at a wedding feast, not knowing that the newlyweds will not live together in the future.

Dream Interpretation – Jaws

If in a dream you cannot unclench your jaw, you will be greatly distressed due to the betrayal of a friend. For a woman, such a dream promises an insult that her friends will involuntarily inflict on her. Seeing yourself in the mouth of a wild animal is a sign that ill-wishers are preparing to harm you.

Dream Interpretation – Jaws

Square jaw: implies strength and rigidity.

Do you need to show more strength and toughness in life?

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I use 25i-nBOMe, recently my teeth began to grind and I feel nausea, is there any way to get rid of this?

Answers:

Lilac fairy

Who prescribed this medicine to you?
Go and tell about yours side effects.
Prescribe another drug and stop this one.

big girl

don't use it, you'll die

Andrey Andreev

Shop55OMS Cones, LSD, Cocaine, Amphetamine, Hashish, Ecstasy Shipping within the Russian Federation

If your jaw is cramping, then it is extremely important to find out the causes of muscle spasm and what to do in such a situation in the near future to avoid complications.

This happens suddenly and disappears on its own, but whether there is a threat to health is difficult to answer right away. If symptoms recur frequently and cause you pain, get tested to find out the cause.

Why does my jaw cramp?

Single or multiple symptoms Jaw spasms can occur in women during pregnancy, and can be short-term or long-lasting. They occur in the following cases:

• when yawning;
• if you suffer from bruxism (grinding your teeth in your sleep);
• at nervous tension;
• for osteochondrosis and other lesions of the cervical spine;
• with muscle strain;
• for some dental problems.

The reasons for the appearance of unpleasant sensations on the right or left side of the jaw in a child or an adult may be associated with injury. What causes jaw cramps and how to cope with this condition - a specialist will tell you.

Lower jaw only

If you have cramping in your lower jaw, this may indicate damage to the trigeminal nerve, which is responsible for innervation of the face. Therefore, such pain radiates to the teeth and to one half of the face, they are different average duration from 10 to 20 minutes.

It is necessary to exclude oncological diseases of the head, muscles, nasopharynx and oral cavity. If you suspect oncology, contact your surgeon, he will adjust your examination and prescribe treatment.

Jaw and cheekbones

The jaws can move even when the following diseases, How:

• arthrosis;
• arthritis;
• joint dysfunction.

The same symptoms are observed in vascular diseases, when they are insufficiently supplied with blood. It is enough to start treatment on time and you can avoid surgical intervention. Contact vascular surgeon and apply the latest technologies to treat the disease.

Jaw muscle spasm when yawning

Convulsive muscle contractions during yawning or at the end of the process occur frequently. A dentist, neurologist or surgeon will help you find out the cause of the disease. There may have been an injury, but now only a spasm when yawning or appearance of mild swelling. In this case, cooling compresses can help.

Try changing your diet and switching to soft foods, because chewing hard foods causes severe muscle tension. When you yawn, some muscles lose their tone, and then become hypertonic at the end if they were tense before.

Jaw cramps and headache

There are many reasons for the appearance of pain in the temples or throughout the head when there is a contracted jaw. It could be:

• fatigue;
• long sedentary work;
• migraine;
• nervous tension;
• consequences of injuries to the spine and jaw;
• working on a computer;
• lack of fresh air.

Try to eliminate the causes or simply take a break from work when your temples are pressing, a light massage and a cold compress on your head if the back of your head hurts.

Tightens jaw and stuffy ears

With such symptoms, consultation with an otolaryngologist is necessary. The cause may range from tonsillitis and damage to the larynx, to tumors in this area. Neuralgia can also provoke spasm and congestion in the ears.

Get rid of the habit of propping your head up and talking on the phone, holding it between your ear and neck. Massage under the ear and apply heat to relax the muscles.

Bruxism

It is easy to identify this disease: if your jaw is clenched tightly in a dream, there is grinding of your teeth. As a result, after waking up, a person experiences severe pain in the jaw and head. Teeth lose part of their enamel, crowns wear off, the position of the teeth is unstable, they become loose.

It is impossible to notice bruxism on your own, but if someone from the outside hears teeth grinding in a dream, then its presence will be obvious.

Jaw spasm from nerves

The nervous system always reacts to any changes in our body, and this can manifest itself as discomfort in the jaw and spasms. Psychosomatics explains the presence of such symptoms by saying that nerve lesions It may not be, but muscles that are under constant tension result in spasm.

If there is no tone, we panic because of numbness and weakness in a certain place. With nervous tension, the jaw may clench in sleep. Then it is necessary to take mild sedatives and consult a neurologist. Nervous stress do not go away without a trace if you experience the following symptoms, such as cramps or muscle pain:

1. Intense fear.
2. Anger.

Try to distract yourself and relax by massaging your jaw yourself. Cramps in the jaw may indicate neuralgia, inflammation of the nerves, or the presence of mental illness.

While eating while chewing

Spasms can occur with minor damage or trauma to the joint. It can occur when chewing hard food.

If you have had a joint dislocation, even minor, then muscle tension while eating leads to involuntary contraction muscles.

After food (sour) or drinks (alcohol)

Some foods can cause esophageal spasm, which will lead to jaw spasm.

If you have difficulty swallowing or problems with salivation, muscle spasms may also occur. Contact a gastroenterologist or neurologist depending on the etiology of the disease.

Dental diseases

Ordinary caries or complicated pulpitis cause destruction not only in bone tissue tooth, but also in the gum. The resulting swelling compresses the nerve fibers, which provokes spasm and pain. Convulsions may occur with:

• periodontitis;
• limited osteomyelitis;
• abscess.

What to do if your jaw cramps?

Pay attention to when and where you experience cramps, and what causes them. A visit to the doctor is necessary if:

• spasms in one part, there is a rise in temperature,
• swelling;
• severe pain;
• cramps in the lower part of the face and pain radiates to the eye;
• persistent, lingering pain;
• throbbing pain with spasm.

anonymously

Good afternoon. For the second week in a row, an unpleasant incident has happened to me - almost every night I wake up due to the fact that my jaw is cramping and my teeth are clenched tightly, so tightly that I feel later severe pain in the gums. Apparently, I have been in this state for quite a long time, because when I wake up, I feel numbness in the lower part of my face (cheeks, chin). On this period time, there is a reason for stress in my life, but I don’t think it could have such a strong impact.. or could it? Could anxiety cause this? And what to do about it? I'm a girl, I'm 18 years old. Thanks in advance for your help.