docThere are many reasons why you can have jaw pain. There are also a lot of reasons why you may have ear pain. But what if you have pain in both the ear and the jaw on the same side? Does that mean there is something wrong with the ear or the jaw? Or does it indicate something entirely different? Let’s find out what can be causing the ear and jaw pain.
Causes of Ear and Jaw Pain
Before we can treat someone’s pain, we need to figure out what is causing the pain. Usually, the pain is directly associated with the organ that is diseased or damaged. In the case of a tooth with a cavity, the pain is coming from the tooth. In the case of wax build-up in the ear, the pain is coming from the ear. Sometimes though, the pain is coming from somewhere else. “Referred pain” is when the pain that we feel is originating from another body part. Referred pain is the reason we feel pain in the ear and jaw.
Aside from trauma, medical conditions such as a tumor, a broken jaw bone from an injury, or nerve pain such as Trigeminal Neuralgia, jaw, and ear pain are usually due to TMJ.
TMJ – Jaw pain – Ear pain
TMJ refers to a problem with the jaw joints. It can affect one or both joints. When a patient has TMJ, they suffer from a variety of symptoms. Two of the symptoms are jaw and ear pain. Of these two, jaw pain often precedes the onset of ear pain. Of course, these patients have other TMJ symptoms as well. They could have difficulty moving their jaw around or opening their jaws wide. They could suffer from popping and clicking of the jaw joints when chewing or eating.
TMJ is usually due to overactivity and an imbalance of certain muscles. Symptoms like jaw and ear pain are due to the build-up of pressure from these overactive muscles. In another word, the reason that the jaw and ear hurt on the same side is due to excessive muscle activity.
How To Treat Ear and Jaw Pain
Once it is confirmed that the pain is a result of TMJ, the treatment is aimed at relaxing the hyperactive muscles. Our TMJ dentist is able to treat TMJ and its symptoms in many ways. The treatment can include a custom-made mouthguard, Botox therapy, laser therapy, and behavioral changes.
Call Us Now (760) 510-1157
Our San Marcos TMJ dentist has been treating patients with jaw and ear pain for years. If you need help dealing with your pain, give us a call.