Jaw pain can be excruciating and affect your ability to eat or speak. The condition can result from sinuses, and infections on your teeth, ears, and jaw. It can be challenging to tell the exact cause of jaw pain until you see a doctor. In most cases, however, the pain can result from temporary mandibular joint and muscle pain disorder, sinus problems, tooth pain, heart attack, trigeminal neuralgia, and cluster headaches. Here are ways to manage jaw pain.
For Instant Relief from Jaw Pain
If you are looking for immediate relief, you can use an ice pack or moist heat. Put an ice pack in a plastic bag then wrap it with a piece of cloth and place it on your face around the jaw area. You can also place a washcloth in warm water and lightly place it on your jaw area. The heat will relax the jaw muscles to ease the pain. You need to re-wet the washcloth severally to maintain the heat.
Another way to experience instant relief is to use Pain o Soma 350mg pain relievers. These over-the-counter pain relief drugs provide instant relief, but you will need to seek a long-term solution.
You can also try massaging the affected area in a circular motion with two fingers. The process relieves tension in the jaws to keep you comfortable.
Lifestyle Changes to Relieve Jaw Pain
For long-term relief from jaw pain, you need to change your lifestyle. The first step should be to reduce stress, which consequently helps you reduce jaw clenching. Some of the techniques you can try include journaling, meditation, and yoga. If your jaw pain is a result of stress, avoiding situations that cause you stress can give you long-term relief.
You also need to keep off foods that can strain your jaw. Foods that are tough, chewy, or crunchy place too much strain on your jaws, which can lead to pain and discomfort. Such foods include beef jerky, ice, apples, and chewing gum. Foods with a lot of fiber can also strain your jaw.
You also need to keep off caffeine. The substance increases muscle tension causing pain and discomfort. You will feel muscle tension when you withdraw from caffeine, so withdraw gradually to ease the tension.
Medical Treatment to Alleviate Jaw Pain
Pain o Soma 500mg treatment will help alleviate jaw pain for good. If the pain is caused by temporomandibular joint and muscle pain, or you have injuries on the face, the doctor will recommend oral and maxillofacial surgery. The surgy aims at managing complex surgeries on your face and correcting broken and dislocated jaw. There are many conditions that oral surgery can correct, so your doctor will examine your jaws to determine the right course of action.
Depending on the cause of the jaw pain, the doctor might recommend other non-invasive jaw treatment methods. If the non-invasive treatment options do not work, the dentist will result to more invasive methods, such as jaw surgery above. Some of the non-invasive methods are as follows.
Use of a mouthguard:
The mouthguard is a dental protector that you wear on the upper or lower jaws. It is custom-fitted for your teeth, but you can buy one from a pharmacy to use for a short while. Pick a mouthguard that fits your teeth will last longer, feel more comfortable, and look better on you. Wearing a mouthguard when going to bed will prevent teeth grinding, which causes jaw pain.
Muscle Relaxers:
For people with mild cases of jaw pain, muscle relaxers can help keep the pain down by relieving jaw tension. However, if you have TMD, the muscle relaxers will not help. Jaw pain might start as mild pain, but with a serious underlying cause. You need to know when to see a doctor about the pain. If the pain exacerbates to a point that you cannot eat, drink, breathe, move your mouth, or swallow, see a doctor. If you also have a swell in your mouth, see a doctor immediately.