One of the more rare pains is a sharp or dull pain in the jaw. It emanates from the jaw muscles, where the nerve can be pinched or squished up against a muscle wall. It can cause a sharp pain that circles the jaw and head, or it can go down your neck as well. This is usually brought on by a number of factors. Some of them will be due to a condition and others will be due to your behavior.
Wrong sleeping position
If you sleep on a flat pillow, your jaw will inevitably be at a sharper angle. This is because our heads have a naturally bulbous or convex shape, which means our heads will usually be wider than our jaw. So your jaw will be pointing downward more often and if it gets buried into the bed or the pillow. So, get a pillow that allows you to sink into it. A memory foam pillow makes perfect sense but you can also try duck down pillows that are ultra-soft. Try to sleep with your hand underneath your jaw so you can handle any undue pressure due to your sleeping position.
Eating habit
If you have a particular eating habit such as eating nuts or toffee candy, then you will be giving your jaw a workout every day. This is something to avoid if you are feeling pain in your jaw. It’s not normal to have pain in your jaw, temple, or neck whenever you chew, so this could be making things worse. Change your diet or eating habit so you can still get the nutrition you need or food you like. Grind the nuts up into power or cut up the raisins in your breakfast.
Abnormal pain
If you have abnormal pain in your jaw, you may need to seek TMJ pain treatment. This is a condition whereby you have pain in your jaw, toothache, dizziness, or earache, and it’s because pain is emanating from abnormal relationships between your muscles and joints. The root cause is unknown which is why it can drive some people up the wall trying to stop it. Seek professional help only as it can take some time to figure out what is going on. They will do things like x-rays, tension tests, biting pressure tests, and study your muscles to see if it’s a nerve being pinched or muscle spasm, etc.
Injury
It’s completely normal to suffer from jaw pain after a sports injury. If you have been hit in football, perhaps had a baseball hit your jaw, even if this was months ago, it could be the cause of your jaw pain. Maybe it was misaligned, or perhaps the injury didn’t heal properly. Either way, try to visit a chiropractor or your doctor and inform them of the injury. Using ice or a hot water bottle could soothe the pain.
Do you feel pain in your jaw for no apparent reason? See if it’s not any of these causes and if it truly isn’t, then speak with your doctor as soon as possible.
