Ra or Osteoarthritus in the jaw

[jillyham]

Hi Everyone.

Its been a long time since I wrote, mainly due to the pain I have been getting which cannot be controlled as my body has now decided to be resistant to steroids,aspirin,paracetamol,all types of codeine,oxycodone and whatever goes into the patches given for severe pain relief to cancer suffers,none work and I am left in agony.

My rheumy seeing me,( after my pestering the once a week hourly helpline offered to us around here !!!!) took me off methatrexate and has put me on a daily dose of Leflunomide,as in his words I was highly active,(chance would be a fine thing I retorted.)This seems to be doing nothing,but its only been 4 weeks so I have to be patient according to him.

My main question is that I have now in the last 2 weeks been getting severe, arthritis type pains in the top of my jaw,at the hinge part in front of my ears,as the helpline is not open this week due to staff shortages !!! and my doc has no idea I am turning to you as someone out there will surely know if you can get either ra or oa in your jaw,

Hope this blog finds you all looking forward to Christmas,and if not at least happy and as healthy as can be.

[claireyj]

Hello sorry you have been having a hard time and in pain... Am sorry also to say yes RA can effect your jaw and did mine a few weeks ago, not sure about OA but my GP and dentist both said yes re RA ...my pain has now subsided but I know how painful it is and is exactly where you described it just in front of your ear, somtimes if I opened my mouth to take a bite of roll or something it would almost lock! I laid off the meusli and anything really chewy steak etc and it subsided. I even managed the hygienist the other day with no probs so don't worry Im sure it will ease. In the meantime try putting something warm on there like a wheat bag ...Claire

[Hidden]

Hello Jilly, Like Claire above I have been told it is RA as well. WHen I first experienced it i thought it would keep me from eating for awhile but unfortunately that did not happen - When i wanted food, I coped with the pain admirably.

Mine is more sporadic than continuous, might have it for a week then nothing for about 2/3 months.

[jillyham]

thanks to those who answered,its true that only those who are suffering the same as you have any sympathy or know the true pain you are in,xx

[missjwren]

hi, about 6 years ago i had severe pain in the same area as you, i was passed between dentist and docs for about 4 months, then i got to see a maxillofacial consultant and had a mri and it turned out i had unelactrel temporal hypertrophy. (not sure if ive spelt this right)

i was told my muscle in my face which should be only 2cm long was 21cm long! i was told i could be tensing my jaw and face without knowing,maybes brought on by pain. i was fitted with a mouth gaurd to wear all night and as much as i could in the day.

massive results in about 4 months, i dont wear it all the time now but when i feel any tweeks it gets popped back in.

be persistant in getting it checked out as one less pain is a little help.

jenny.x

[Hidden]

Hi Jilly - I've not yet suffered from jaw pain but I'm sure if you look it up on here you will see others asking the same question relating to jaw pain and the answer seems to have been a resounding yes its RA each time. Have you any reason to wonder whether its OA? If you can get nowhere in contacting your rheumatology team then perhaps you need to get your GP to contact them for you. I can imagine from RA pain I've had elsewhere how painful it must be. It sounds to me as though your RA is not adequately controlled and you need to push for a change or a raise in your meds. Sorry I can't see what you are on because you have not put a profile piece on so can only sympathise and hope you get relief soon. Tilda

[Neverwell]

Hi jilly

I was on mtx but got taken off it as it was not working then put on leflunomide been on it 6 weeks the first 2-3 weeks i was in so much pain a d i thought it because iv changed meds,

My rummy told me as u were told the ra is very active. Have you tryed naproxen or tramadol,

I would go to gp and ask for stronger painkillers hope you feel better so love karen x

[jillyham]

hi Karen,

I have tried both pain killers but they have literally no effect,my rheumy eventually took me off naproxen as it was also not helping reduce the swelling all over my body, I am now on arcoxia/etoricoxib and this seems to be doing nothing either,I have a knee the size of an elephants and 1 shoulder reaching up to my ear.My GP is literally not allowed to offer me much more,I am on the patches and tablets that people take when they are bed ridden and I still feel no relief from the pain,but as I am still a mother to 2 children who still have to get to school, eat etc I just have to grit my teeth, swear a few times and get on with things,all be it at a much slower pace.xx

[anglia]

hi i think it will be ra had pain in jaw afraid to swallow pain that bad took tabs which i had stopped and it went also had pain in back of head hope you get tabs to relieve pain anglia