Inflammation of the jaw joint: causes and treatment

Any inflammation brings us a lot of suffering, and in case of problems with the jaw joint, a person can not eat at all. How to cope with pain in the facial joint? What, in principle, is inflammation of the jaw joint? Symptoms, treatment and the reasons for this medical problem we will discuss.

Anatomy of the temporomandibular joint

The temporomandibular joint (VPN) is a joint that connects the lower jaw to the temporal bone located just in front of the ear on each side of the head.

The joint consists of the following parts:

• The head of the lower jaw;
• Condyle - the head of the lower jaw, entering the capsule;
• Articular capsule;
• An articular disc that consists of cartilaginous tissue.
• Intracapsular and extra-capsular ligaments.

There are two joints, and they work simultaneously. The human jaw can move forward, make lateral movements and move up and down. This structure allows us to chew food and talk.

Inflammation of the jaw joint. Symptoms

If any inflammation occurs in one joint, the entire system is disrupted. Therefore, inflammation of the jaw joint requires medical examination and proper treatment.

Inflammation can be acute and chronic. Acute inflammation of the jaw joint usually occurs after trauma, loss of the condyle from the capsule or dislocation of the jaw. Chronic inflammation develops slowly, most often as a result of defects (incorrect bite) or poor performance of the dentist. Pain in this case is not strong, aching. Sometimes a person does not suspect the reasons for this pain. It happens that the inflammation is transmitted from the inner ear to the joint.

After all, the ear canal, its shell and jaw joint are in close proximity. Thus, osteomyelitis or meningitis can cause inflammation. It happens that provokes this state of lupus erythematosus (autoimmune disease) or rheumatoid arthritis. There are many options.

Symptoms of inflammation

The first symptoms of this condition should not be ignored. A person will lose normal working capacity when he has a temporomandibular joint. Inflammation, the symptoms of which we cite, in medicine is called "arthritis of the temporomandibular joint." If the inflammation is not treated, it leads to degenerative changes. This condition of the joint will already be called arthrosis. Then time and money for treatment will have to spend more.

With acute and chronic arthritis, the symptoms vary. Symptoms for acute inflammation:

• Redness and swelling in the joint region;
• Hyperemia of tissues nearby;
• Sometimes a noise in the ears and a crunch;
• Gnashing of the jaw at night;
• Difficulties with opening the mouth;
• Sharp pain when moving, giving in the ears and the back of the head;
• dizziness;
• Elevated temperature.

When inflammation is chronic, the symptoms are different:

• Aching pain;
• Sensation of stiffness of the jaw, especially if the pose for sleep is chosen face down;
• Pain increases when the jaw is pressed;
• Possibly a decrease in hearing.

Usually, inflammation of a chronic nature is not accompanied by reddening of surrounding tissues or the inability to open the mouth. However, it is still desirable to eat at this time sparing liquid food and treat inflammation. After a long inflammation without the necessary treatment will lead to deformation of the face.

Infectious inflammation. Ways of infection

Inflammation of the jaw joint can begin because of an infectious disease. Such diseases as tonsillitis, common influenza, can lead to inflammation of even the joints.

Also provocateurs can be:

• A stick of tuberculosis;
• Virus of syphilis;
• gonorrhea;
• Mastoiditis (inflammation of the mastoid process of one of the bones of the skull);
• Fungus actinomycetes;
• Purulent osteomyelitis.

In this case, along with the diagnosis of "inflammation of the temporomandibular joint" (the symptoms are often eloquent), there will be no delay, with the definition of the type of infection, too. The therapist will determine the infection after he collects an anamnesis (medical history) and looks at the tests, and may ask for an X-ray. How can infection get into the jaw joint?

Switching and provoking an inflammation of the jaw joint infection can several ways:

• Through the blood;
• Lymph;
• Directly through open cuts.

You need to treat the underlying disease. Since the structure of the joint itself is not damaged in this case, together with the cure for the infection, this problem will pass.

Post-traumatic and rheumatoid inflammation

Those people who suffer from arthritis joints in the knees and elbows, sometimes suffer from rheumatism of the jaw joint. Then you only need to go to a rheumatologist.

Arthritis after the transferred jaw trauma will pass, when the consequences of the trauma will pass. Inflammation provokes blood clots that fall into the joint cavity. The doctor must clean the entire joint.

During acute pain, the jaw needs to be tightly bandaged and not to let the patient speak or chew. Eat at this time will only have liquid yogurt and blended soup on blender.

Inflammation of the joint as a consequence of an incorrect occlusion

At the beginning of the article it is mentioned that an incorrect bite can lead to inflammation. Why does this happen? In the human body, symmetry is one of the main laws. The height of the teeth should be the same, and they should be closely interlaced. Otherwise, the load on the joints will be uneven. In those cases when the bite is formed incorrectly: the lower jaw is too sagging or bulging, the jaw joint begins to ache from the load over the years and can become inflamed. The same situation occurs when several teeth on one side are not enough and the load on chewing passes to the other side.

To cope with such pain, you need to contact an orthodontist, who is engaged in the correction of such problems with the teeth. But you need to exclude other causes of inflammation before starting treatment.

To check if there are any improvements or not, it's enough to put a special mouthpiece in your mouth and walk with it for a few days. The pain will decrease or even disappear if the cause is really a problem with the teeth.

Complications of inflammation of VPN

An unhealed disease of an infectious nature is one of the most dangerous causes of inflammation of the facial joint. What will happen if the joint is not treated? First, the pain will periodically come. Articular cartilage consists of connective tissue. And if the area of the joint begins suppuration, this cartilage quickly collapses.

There comes a purulent temporal phlegmon. Then, if the patient does not come to the surgeon to remove the pus, it can be transmitted to other nearby tissues.

The acute nature of the disease without pus can also significantly spoil the life of someone who is afraid of treatment. In the joint begins the process of adhesion, and eventually it ceases to be mobile. This process is called fibrotic ankylosis. If this occurs on one side, the entire face is deformed. The next stage of the disorder is bone ankylosis, when the joint tissue finally ossifies.

How to cope with the pain?

Sometimes pain due to arthritis of the facial joint is unbearable. People can not eat for weeks or even yawn. And while the main treatment lasts, you need to somehow cope with the pain that irradiates far from the site of inflammation. For this, conventional drugs, such as "Ibuprofen," are suitable. Any non-steroidal anti-inflammatory tablets available in your home medicine chest will be suitable.

During severe pain, the joint should be immobilized - apply a special bandage. It is advisable to apply a hot and dry compress to the temple. In the frying pan, it is sufficient to heat the salt and put it in a bag of simple cloth. Some people prefer to use ointments.

But it happens that pills for anesthesia are not enough. Then the doctor has the right to prescribe injections.

Such injections block the pain completely after 15 minutes. Assign in pricks "Tramadol" or "Trimeperidine." These drugs belong to the class of narcotics, and their doctor applies only in exceptional cases, when the pain is unbearable, for example after a jaw injury.

There is another medicine called Nalbuphine. The drug is not so strong, it does not apply to narcotic drugs, but it is not sufficiently studied.

Inflammation of the jaw joint. Treatment

How to identify inflammation of the jaw joint? Which doctor will help you find a solution to the problem? First you need to consult a therapist who will conduct an initial examination, and then he will send to that specialist who can help in practice.

If the patient has problems with bite, you need to contact the dentist, otitis should treat the ENT. You may need the help of a gnatologist or neuromuscular dentist. And if the pain began after the injury, then you need to go to the jaw surgeon.