Why Do I Have Jaw Pain On Left Side Near Ear?

Cause

(It is a joint which connects the jaw or the mandible to the side of the skull called the temporal bone)

TMJ disorders can occur as a result of trauma to the jaw or the TMJ.

The discomfort due to this disorder is transient and reduces by itself without any treatment.

TMJ Disorders Include

• Muscular or facial pain which causes discomfort on jaw movements.
• Internal derangement or displacement of the joint.
• Arthritis of the TMJ which can cause inflammation and stiffness of the jaw.

Signs and Symptoms of TMJ Disorders Include

• Pain in jaw radiating to the face or ear
• The stiffness of temporomandibular joint
• Painful clicking or popping sound of the TMJ while opening or closing the mouth

Acute Otitis Media Occurs Due To

• Dysfunction of the Eustachian tube during acute viral respiratory infection. It results in secondary bacterial infection of the middle ear.
• Seen commonly in children
• Forceful blowing of nose
• Gastroesophageal reflux
• Breastfeeding or feeding children in a lying down position are some risk factors.

Signs and Symptoms Include

• Ear pain
• Reduced hearing
• There may be a discharge of fluid, pus or blood from the ear.

Acute otitis media is an emergency condition and needs to be treated immediately.

Other causes of sinusitis are old age, exposure to allergens and local irritants, swimming, cigarette smoking, air travel and dental diseases.

The Paranasal Sinuses Are

• Frontal – Over the above eyebrows
• Ethmoidal – Between the eyes on either side of the root of the nose
• Maxillary – Over the cheekbones
• Sphenoidal – Near the ear

Signs and Symptoms of Acute Sinusitis

Signs and symptoms of acute sinusitis will be seen depending on the type of sinus infected

• Pain and tenderness (pain on pressure) over the sinus affected
• Face pain
• Nose block and difficulty in inhaling
• Loss of smell
• Swelling of the face may be noticed over the infected sinus.

It is a disease of old-age. The possible mechanism behind the occurrence of this disease is deposition of immune complexes on the affected blood vessel. This, in turn, results in inflammation of the affected artery.

Signs and Symptoms Include

1. Symptoms are seen related to the part of the blood vessel affected.
2. A headache
3. Jaw Claudication – Jaw pain while chewing
4. Muscular pain and stiffness of various joints in the body which is worse in the morning and gets better by day
5. Visual disturbances and in severe cases, blindness.

Trigeminal neuralgia is usually one-sided.

Signs and Symptoms Include

1. Sudden stabbing, excruciating, shock-like pain along with the nerve distribution. Pain paroxysms last for short duration.
2. Pain is worse from touch and even from a draft of air.
3. The pain usually resolves completely in between attacks.

1. Unilateral, moderate to severe intensity headache
2. Photophobia
3. Visual disturbances
4. Nausea and vomiting

Frequency, duration and intensity of a headache vary from person to person and also in the same person at different times.

A migraine can be triggered by anything under the sun, including the sun.

Headaches can be associated with or without aura.

Cluster headaches have the following characteristics

1. It is seen in both males and females, commonly in the age group of 30-50 years.
2. They have a striking periodicity. They tend to occur at the same time.
3. It can last for 45-90 minutes or even up to 9 hours.
4. A headache is one-sided, in the temporal region near the ear.
5. A headache may be associated with nausea, vomiting and photophobia.
6. Nasal congestion and excessive watering of eyes may also be present.