Jaw pain

[Pedz]

Hi guys just a quick one,

Does anyone else get jaw trouble? I get it quite often normally only on one side but it's awful really difficult to open my mouth or eat properly.....

[3LittleBirds2]

Yes...I get jaw pain a lot when I'm flaring and only on one side. When it started in my early RA days, I couldn't work out if the pain was coming from my ear, teeth or jaw. I'm no longer able to open my mouth wide enough to take a bite out of an apple, so have to chop it up or nibble at it!! Quite a lot of people on here have jaw problems if you do some searching. Best wishes to you 😊

[Pedz in reply to 3LittleBirds2]

Yes that's it exactly I hate it one of the worst symptoms of this bloody disease ( RA ) ok it's the least common but it hacks me off more that the others to a degree......

[3LittleBirds2 in reply to Pedz]

Yes it's horrible...when I first thought it was my teeth causing the pain...I was told it's very rare to get in the jaw...but it does seem fairly common I'm afraid.

[farm123]

When I am not under control my left jaw (near the ear) is very painful and makes chewing difficult and have to think about what I choose to eat. Visiting the dentist can also be difficult and sore. At the moment I am fairly well controlled and only have occasional aching rather than pain. I use an apple corer/divider (if hands are OK or get someone else to use) to eat apples there is no way otherwise. Farm

[Pedz in reply to farm123]

Does it make a crunching sound when you try to open your mouth ?

[earthwitch]

Yes, I get it. My dentist was really good and showed me how to move my jaw to unlock it and free it up - it wasn't quite the way I would have thought to move it, but has made it much easier when it does get to the locked point. I also use a bit of voltarol gel over the jaw joint area (taking care to keep it well away from my eyes) and that helps too.

[flow4]

I used to get it a LOT a decade or so ago. It's less of a problem now, tho I'm still limited in how far I can open my mouth and it does occasionally pop or get stuck. I now wear a mouth guard every night, and I think that's what's made the difference: I clench and grind less at night, so the inflammation is less...

[priss58]

Yes, a few years ago when my RA was bad I used to get it, it's very unpleasant and I sympathise with you. Since I've been on RTX I haven't had it. RA consultants and nurses were also sympathetic but they don't include jaws towards your score!

[john140]

I have just had a bout of this for about 2 months, it almost seems like toothache at times.

[Rosebaywillowherb]

I get this to Pedz,it comes and goes,my jaw makes a crunching sound and opening mouth wide is impossible,also my teeth become very sensitive.It can last for a couple of weeks or more, then disappear until the next episode , seems we're unlucky to get it here,but RD moves in mysterious ways! X

[Jeanabelle60]

Hello, I have read through all the replies and I have t say I can agree with nearly all the comments. I as diagnosed 6 years ago and very soon afterwards I started, like others, to have pain but I wasn't sure of exactly where it was coming from, ear, teeth, temple, jaw. After doing the GP and Dentist my Rheumatoligist told me it was from my jaw, at the time I had it only on the one side also.

As time went on I too had to eat small portions when eating as my 'bite' was getting smaller. Then I woke one morning and I couldn't open my mouth, my jaw had locked. My Rheumy nurse told me to come over to her ward right away and she would sort me out, bless her, I don't know where I would be without her this past 6 years.

Anyhow I got a steroid injection and my jaw gradually opened. BRonagh, my nurse, sent me to the Dental Surgueon and he took x-Ray's that showed distortion that even I could see on the x-Ray. Moving on......the distortion has now moved on to a hole, yes a hole in the middle of my jaw bone and because I'm on steroids daily they masked a hole forming on my right side now. My dental registrer is looking after me very well and is keeping my jaw area 'clean', by this I mean he syringes it out every six months or so. Now don't be worrying, I get the side of my face frozen so there is only minor discomfort and a bit of pressure, so nothing to be afraid of.

I'm told that I will have to go the Kings Hospital in London for a replacement but to be honest if I can continue on the treatment I would rather do that. I due another appointment with the lovely Dr Tom son and I suppose my x-Ray's will decide what happens going forward but my treatment so far has been second to none. I still have to control bite sizes as my jaw is now permentntly in a smaller bite position but since I went on steroids and had my regular treatments my jaw hasn't locked since. I suppose as with almost all that happens to us with RD we adapt and move on.......that's been my experience anyhow. I'm not saying it's easy and I have had many, many really black periods in the past years but as I said I get help and though nothing is perfect I do my best and as I said I adapt and move on with my live and have learned to live with the changes live and this disease.

I hope my story has helped and not frightened you as that was not my intention. I wish I had had someone to tell me their experience when I first started out on the part of my RD journey. I wish you all the very best, Jean.

[Jeanabelle60]

Sorry about all the spelling mistakes......it's this bloody iPad.......I should have proof read it anyhow.....damed technology! Jean

[flow4 in reply to Jeanabelle60]

You know you can edit, Jeanabelle? You just need to click that little down arrow, and an edit option appears.

[Jeanabelle60 in reply to flow4]

Thanks I'll look out for it.......I'm a bit of a technophobe. X

[Pedz]

Wow Jean that sounds awful sorry you had so much jaw trouble yet another facet of this crazy disease..... I have my second DAS tomorrow no doubt in my mind about reaching 5.1 I'm flaring like mad and have been for a while sulphasalazine is not very affective. Also looks like my job is going out the window now I been on the sick for 9 weeks now, due back on Tuesday but no word from HR so looks like sick note time again

[Jeanabelle60 in reply to Pedz]

Sorry to hear about the job but you know sometimes we have to do what is best for us, health wise, and if that means not working while dealing with RD we are better without the extra pressure. Take the time you need to look after yourself. I have two very elderly parents to look after everyday and it can be very stressful at times but I make sure to make time for myself too, we have to as no one else is going to do it for us. When you are very unwell you are the priority, work, family or whatever it is that you are dealing with has to take a back seat until you are well enough, those other things will be there when you are better equipped to deal with them. I wish you all the very best.....be good to yourself. Jean

[yotelecom]

I get attacks in my jaw quite often, they are very painful and very difficult to eat, cheesy mashed potatoes is a godsend! I do find the attacks came in clusters? when I was first diagnosed 2009 I had loads of jaw flares, it went on for about 6 months, then it stopped attacking my jaw for about 12 months then I had another spate of attacks, and so on. I have-not had a jaw attack for quite a few months but expect it to come back again Dont know if others have the same problems of never knowing where the next flare is going to be? at the moment it is both shoulders and one knee, but that could change at any time! hopefully your jaw will ease of sometime soon, take care. x

[Sara-R]

Top tip for yawning whilst jaw misbehaving - put your chin on your chest (if neck allows) More satisfactory yawning than not being able to yawn.

[Birthdaygirl]

I was taken by complete surprise when my jaw seemed to detach itself and I was unable to open my mouth more than to get a straw through. Pain ++++

At a later date when my dental hygienist was scaling my teeth, while we were both supporting my jaw, she said 'Rheumatoid is a terrible disease. It can get absolutely anywhere'

She is right.

BG

[Caspiana]

Hello. And yes but only when I'm close to my next Remicade treatment and my symptoms are at it's worst. it's painful and makes a crunching noise or a clicking sound. Really awful thing to have. Then I have my dose of Remicade and it just goes like it was never there. But the days leading up to that are so very uncomfortable. When I have a bad jaw, it tells me my RA is not under control. I am sorry you have to go through this. I hope you feel better soon.

Cas xx 🌸

[susanjoju]

I am so glad to read a about all your jaw pain - not in a bad way , just because I thought I was the only one . Unfortunately I have suffered this for 23 years on various medication - tegretol ibuprofen acupuncture etc - but nothing helped really . That was until I saw another doctor about other joint pains and pins and needles and he prescribed pregabalin which hasn't helped ths neuropathy much but has eased the jaw pain so much its like a miracle after suffering years of constant agony

[e-mail]

[Pedz in reply to susanjoju]

Great you finally got relief from the awful jaw thing my personal least favourite of my symptoms

[susanjoju in reply to Pedz]

Hi thank you . Oddly enough I got relief from a bi product but I was so happy . I got the horrible jaw pain first and doctors didnt know what it was even less how to treat it .

[Warcho]

I get a click when eating .very embarassing