Jaw/cheek pain!!??

[ZA31]

I recently was diagnosed with lupus and Sjögren’s, I was given a steroid shot to deal with pain and started hydroxychloroquine. However the pain in my jaw and cheek bones has suddenly become really bad, nothing seems to alleviate the pain, any advice?

[MusicalFurbaby]

Hi ZA31, definitely get it checked out. I feel your pain, I have terrible TMJ pain on both sides. The jaw is one of the most painful areas of the body, in my opinion!

Where do you get your pain? Can you describe the quality of the pain - dull, aching, sharp, throbbing? The more specific you can be, the more we’ll be able to help. ☺️

I get not only jaw pain but clicking and grinding sounds, and my jaw frequently locks. I am unable to eat on one side of my mouth most mornings. I got it checked out and only when they tried to xray my jaw did they discover significant abnormalities and corrosion - no wonder I was in pain! I ended up seeing a maxillo-facial surgeon (jaw expert) who recommended surgery.

So definitely look into it. I was glad I did. You might need some scans and maybe an expert, especially if painkillers aren’t helping, and especially if it’s getting worse instead of better.

Let us know how you go, and feel free to ask more questions!

[ZA31]

My father in law is a dentist abs I don’t think it’s an infection as such, I’m presuming something to do with the auto immune condition? But I don’t know, just want it to stop!

[ZA31]

Hey! Thank you for the message! It’s definitely both sides of the jaw! I can feel pressure in my cheek bones and jaw as though I’m constantly doing a headstand, very very uncomfortable! pain comes and goes, it hurts to open my mouth, chew food and at its worse it even hurts to talk 😔! I just got diagnosed 2 weeks ago and I’m feeling so emotional! It was only my hands and feet before and now suddenly my jaw! The jaw has been really putting me down it’s such a sensitive area!

My rheumy told me to try diazepam, so I’m going to try that tonight! I really just need a break from it!

Was your corrosion because of your auto immune disease?

[positiveness]

Have you ever thought it to be trigeminal neuralgia? I have MS and I didn’t think Oxcarpazepine and not overdoing it would help.

[positiveness in reply to positiveness]

But it did

[ZA31]

With trigemeninal neuralgia, how would you describe the pain? Xx