Jaw pain RA

[Donpablo]

Does anyone get RA in the jaw ? My jaw sometimes is agony and I can't move it or eat. If so any advise.

[Ange2016]

I have the same thing and when I told my rheumy she checked my jaw and told me that the RA was in the left side of my jaw. Not much I can do.I just don't eat anything that needs a lot of chewing when it's bad and take extra painkillers.

[Jeanslmn]

I had it bad in my jaw for first time in sept extremely painful but I've had RA for over forty years

[Needforname]

Yeah... must be a common thing. My jaw is always tight and sometimes it does hurt to eat. Sorry, I can't offer any tips other than pain medication. If you don't like taking pain meds, consider kratom (a natural pain killer). If you do try kratom, I recommend drinking it as a tea. Some folks eat it, but it can hurt your stomach. You could also try massage on the jaw or acupuncture. Or maybe muscle relaxers could help. If you decide to try kratom, make sure you start slow and do your research. If you have any questions about it, let me know. Good luck.

[Eiram50]

Yes, I frequently have pain in my jaw and eating can be very painful! Do you have good pain killers? For me, it was the combination of tramadol, paracetamol a hot water bottle and time to get through it - I found little else helped.

It's really not pleasant and I hope passes for you soon.

[Donpablo]

Co codamol is the pain killer I use but it doesn't do much as the pain is so intense . I will try your concoction though.

[Donpablo in reply to Donpablo]

Thanks everyone for your help... Now I know it's the RA and not another problem I can work on a remedy

[Sharonbernt in reply to Donpablo]

I have been put on amitriptyline as my jaw muscle kept going into spasm early days but not happened for a couple of weeks

[DelicateInput in reply to Sharonbernt]

Amitryptyline has no effect for three weeks so I doubt it is the cause of the difference.

[dtech in reply to Donpablo]

Trouble is you DONT know it's RA and not another problem as you have taken everyone's advice on here rather than going to a health professional to have it checked out! Sorry to be harsh, but I see this so often on this and other sites where people post symptoms and everyone piles in with their experiences of similar issues. Similar being the operative word here. Now I know people are only trying to help, so please don't attack me 😉. But I seriously suggest you go to your rheumy and if it turns out to be a jaw (tmj) problem rather than RA, they can refer you to a dental specialist to get treatment. Good luck.

[zimmie in reply to dtech]

Very sensible answer, so easy to offer possible solutions but always see doc who will then potentially say see your consultant

[DelicateInput in reply to dtech]

I think if the doctors were any use, people would not be posting on here. They tell people there is nothing wrong or it is something else without doing investigations. By the time the condition is identified, it is usually too late for effective treatment.

[dtech in reply to DelicateInput]

So your solution is people post on these sites with their symptoms. Everyone gives them a diagnosis and they go off and treat themselves??

[DelicateInput in reply to dtech]

No, the solution is to improve the standard of medical care, largely in the NHS. Until that happens, it is quite understandable that people will post on these sites - which is better than suffering in silence and could be helpful. It is quite clearly better than the medical services as otherwise people would not be doing it.

[Leonwp]

Yes but with me this comes and goes at random as a flare, sometimes disappearing for months and often recurring with a click in the near by ear which also tends to have an infection, but with me i think its the ear that is the cause of the jaw. I now have no hearing in one ear and 20% left in the other.

[Donpablo in reply to Leonwp]

Same for me....nothing for month's then a click in the jaw and it flares up for a few days. It does feel like the hurt the ear as well.

[ruth_p]

I do but my pain and stiffness was improved once I got a mouth guard from the dentist. I grind my teeth at night and the guard was to protect my teeth but it had the added benefit of helping the my jaw too. I used to wake up with my jaw stuck and would have too force it to move. It still crunches and having anything done at the dentist is really painful, also particularly chewy foods hurt it.

[LaLa67]

Hi , yes I also have it & its called Tempromamandibular Or joint disorder of the jaw. Often associated with OAR or RA & Fibromyliga. I had it for quite a few years now, &I have to have steroid injections in the chewing muscle! Not very pleasant at all. Consultant first gave me Botox injection but you can only have it for so long, every 6 months I see them + injections . Is awful but you must eat soft foods.If you put your finger under your ear 👂 & open & close your mouth you can feel a gap & that's where it affect people.

Mine is also because I have a lobsided jaw"not fitted right" the consultant took ex-rays of my head & pointed it out! You can also get very 😡 with it too as I do.

.

[Hidden]

Yes, I've had RA in my jaws for many years, it comes and goes, but I am unable to chew things lie steak, hard apples etc my diet has had to be modified to suit. My dentist is good, I see her every three months to ensure any dental work is minimal,because opening mouth for dental work is just hell !! I also rub my jawline with brufen gel when in pain, it does help a little x

[mbw159]

Yes i have had it quite oftern you can get ra pain in any joint see your rhumy you may need stronger meds xx

[medieval-ali]

Yes, on and of for years, seems to odd settled there at the moment just waiting for it to pass... going to see Rheumy in Jan but they'll just say the same old thing! So I'll have to tentatively have to grin and bear it! Good luck with it hope your Rheumy's can help!

[Amy_Lee]

I had it too at the very early stage of my RA for about a year. I basically ate only porridge, I swallowed it down. It was also painful when I talked. I am perfectly okay now. When the DMARDs started to work, the pain reduced.

[jeremy76charnwood]

I get it frequently and take 3 Ibuprofen at each meal over 1 day and it goes away

[Beverley_F]

I suffered with awful pain in my jaw, I was advised to get the dentist to check my teeth first then went to see my RA Specialist. I hadn't eaten properly for about 5 months. I was advised to have it injected and to say I was terrified is an understatement, It was not as bad as I thought and I have to say it has worked and I've been pain free for over 8 months now. Took a few weeks to work but well worth it. I hope you get sorted out, don't leave it.

[darb1]

I was so surprised so many people have jaw pain and associate it with RA, etc. This could be true, of course, but I never ever heard of that and I suffered with TMJ (tempromandibular joint disfunction) for years. They can do a special x-ray of your head/jaw area and it will tell if you have it. (The dentist sent me to another doctor but I cannot remember if it was an endodontist or what.) Mine was a bugger to treat but I cannot remember why. I did grind my teeth badly at night (as another poster said) so I got a night guard which helped. Also, my teeth were out of line and I had dental work done to make my bite better. I hear a little click or noise occasionally but almost forgot I had it until I saw it on here. For the record, I do have Sjogren's Syndrome and Fibromyalgia. Good luck to everyone on here who suffers and you all have a wonderful Holiday. Carol

[dtech in reply to darb1]

Well said. And a good reply. Seen mine above 😃.

[Donpablo in reply to dtech]

Every 6 months it averages . Just have to ride it out . I dread the jaw flare up.

[Donpablo in reply to darb1]

the first time I had problems with RA was in one night in bed in 2012 . That night I went to bed and a pain started in my shoulder joints so bad that it woke me up, an hour later the pain went into both sides of my jaw to the point my jaw was to painful to open and by morning I could not walk or stand up every joint was affected . All happened to me in one night. I was rushed to hospital that morning and they diagnosed me with RA the next day after pumping me full of steroids . I only get a flare up once every 5 or 6 months in the jaw but it is attached to RA Due to that life changing night. It has such a strong connection to that one faithful night. Thank you for your post it all helps .

[Luv2shoppp]

The jaw pain is the worse pain I've experienced with this disease. A shifting bite is the worse. Pain plus not being able to eat is the worse. Be strong and it shall pass eventually.

[Donpablo in reply to Luv2shoppp]

The worst pain out of them all the jaw . Just have to ride it out and loose a nights sleep.

[Luv2shoppp in reply to Donpablo]

You got it! It was one of my very first symptoms of RA. I had taken many trips to the dentist as a result but put two and two together when I got diagnosed. The dentist said it was TMJ at first.

[Mall]

I suffer with pain in my jaw when my RA is not well controlled and it is something I bring to the attention of my rheumy as it is an indicator for me that my drug regime may need tweaking. I find resting my jaw helps. Avoiding foods which require a lot of chewing like steak and chewing gum may help. I bought a liquidiser for making soups for healthy meals for when my jaw is flaring. There have been occasions when talking has been difficult without slurring speech and it was important that I let folk at work know so that they didn't think I had been drinking. Making your dentist aware of jaw pain is important too.

I have sero positive erosive RA and my jaw flares up along with other symptoms when this is not well controlled, it is not unusual for us folk and is something I've had to learn to live with. It may not be as significant a symptom for folk with other rheumatic diseases and they may not be as aware of it or how debilitating it can become.

As others have said it is important that you let your medical team know as jaw pain can have other causes.

I hope it settles soon for you and that your rheumy can help.

Mall.

[Hidden]

I used to get it in my jaw and its very painful.

[Donpablo]

Thank you everyone for your response. I can now go to my rheumatologist knowing I'm not the only one with RA that has the jaw problem . they might take me seriously now and investigate into it a bit further. I'm not self diagnosing Im just gathering evidence of other cases with the same condition as me so the doctors don't Fog it off as nothing to do with my condition RA. Old habit I have due to my previous profession so I don't look like a fool. Thank you all and have a pain free Christmas . Don.

[darb1]

Wow, I really learned something new from you people who suffer with RA and affects on your jaw. Never heard of that. Good to know. Godspeed to all of you. Carol

[PsneddT16]

Hi, I hope your pain eases. I would suggest you mention it to your consultant/nurse specialist. I get severe jaw pain on and off; naproxen and Co codamol help me; you just have to find what works for you. I've found that cold items from freezer help sometimes instead of heat too. It's really difficult to talk and eat too. its best to get checked by professionals to find the right solution quicker. Hope you find comfort soon.

[Mandalou]

When I had my explosive onset in early summer last year which literally wiped me out.

My jaw was one of the most excruciating symptoms, couldn't shut the damn thing for a month , no chewing , no rest, it was horrendous.

Once I was given the massive rescue dose of oral steroids the jaw symptoms eased up very quickly and since I've been on Biologics ( Etanercept ) and Hydroxychloroquine ( can't take other DMARDS because of a sensitive liver) my jaw has not flared since, unlike my hands, wrists, feet and knees.

My flares however only last a very short time now.

I'm sero negative RA possible PSA.

Good luck with getting relief for your jaw, I have the utmost sympathy for your suffering.

Mx

[Multijo]

I get it and it is dreadful. I have found that cold laser therapy and massage helped. It took a few session but range of motion and pain levels.....well I am improved in this area. I know it may need to be repeated, it doesn't seem to work forever.