Jaw stiffness, anyone suffer with this?

daisychain

Hi everyone,

For the last few months I have noticed my jaws are stiff ,particularly on one side and I cannot open my mouth as wide as I would like. I have even noticed the stiffness affecting my speech sometimes but thankfully I don't think it is noticed by others. I went to the dentist recently and apologised in case I could not open my mouth wide enough, I said it was due to my RA ( sero negative) and he seemed very surprised saying that as far as he knew you did not get arthritis in jaw. This shocked and worried me as he is a very experienced dentist. I did not like to say much more but just commented that I had seen articles about it on the web and so had presumed limked to RA. I read it tends to be one of last joints to be affected.

I am due to see my Rheumy again in a few weeks and I have just started on Mtx after much hesitation ( no side effects yet but early days !) I will mention my stiff jaws to him but in the meantime I am hoping for some improvement with taking the Mtx.

I have searched through posts but find little reference to jaw pain so I am now questioning myself. The stiffness does respond well to anti inflammatories and I have had no injury so assumed it was RA linked. Hope this does not sound too odd.

Thank you so much for all the support on this forum, it has been an enormous help to me and given me the confidence to start on Mtx.

Kind Regards

mash65

hi,the only posts that ive read about jaw pain are magenta's
might be worth having a look through her posts as i know she has suffered with this.
sorry i cant be of any more help.debsx

daisychain

Hi,

Yes ,Thanks for that

bluesky05

Hi,
I have suffered with jaw pain on and off. My doctor told me it was arthritis. It was very painful, sometimes too painful to eat and to talk! It also feels like I have an earache when I have it although when checked I don't have anything wrong with my ear. I would talk to your doctor rather than your dentist about it, see what he/she says.

daisychain

Hi,

Yes that sounds very like my symptoms, I have had a dull ache in my ear as well. I will certainly mention to my doctor , sorry I bothered with the Dentist !

Thanks for your reply.

magenta

daisychain wrote:

Hi,

Yes that sounds very like my symptoms, I have had a dull ache in my ear as well. I will certainly mention to my doctor , sorry I bothered with the Dentist !

Thanks for your reply.

Hiya,
Having probs with computer again. Tried sending you a reply before but it crashed.
I went to drs years ago about my jaw and they gave me antibiotics for mumps!!! Eventually went to my dentist who referred me to a maxilliofacial surgeon. Turns out I have Temperomandibular joint dysfunction and OA in both sides of jaw. They made me a splint/mouthguard that I have to wear at night and now have been prescribed carbamazepine (haven't started it yet) but originally tried gabapentin. This made me like a zombie so I had to stop taking it. Don't know if there's anything else that can be done other than pain relief cos everybody says the jaw is too sensitive a joint to meddle with. Hopefully you won't have either TMJ or OA but at least you know about these things, so can tell your dentist/dr that you need referred to maxfac surgeon. I'll try and help you as best I can (and if comp lets me :shock: )
Take care,
Magenta x

livinglegend

I suffer from RA jaw joint pain, it is immediately in front of my ears and is SO painful. When I have a flare up, it is impossible to talk or eat properly and so I have soft foods, yogurts and similar, and drinks for a few days until it fades.

Usually a couple of paracetomol every few hours helps, but I still get agonising twinges if there is any pressure on my jaw or I move it just a little too much.


Joseph 8)

pluggathome

Hiya

I have jaw problems too but for me it does not flare up too often although when it does now the spells get longer.

I too have to resort to soft foods that can be posted in /minimal chewing or be quiet.

My jaw gets all out of line so I can't my close mouth properly and the pressure points where my teeth do meet change and it drives me crackers. The pain I can do something about/cope with but the change in pressure points...grrrrrrr...

Plugg

denpen

Hi
I had Jaw pain for a while especially in the morning after lying on it. I couldnt open my mouth very wide (some would say thats a blessing) ha ha. so brushing my teeth was a bit of a problem. I saw the dentist who said it seemed ok and I told him i have OA and he said it may be that, its ok at the moment seems to have gone, I have a docs appt. tomorrow so IF I remember I will mention it to him but I am seeing a new doctor so I dont know how helpfull he will be.
Denise

daisychain

Hi again,

Thanks so much for all your replies, I will certainly follow up with my consultant and/or Dentist and press for a referral to a specialist if no improvement with Mtx. I have only just started taking the Mtx so will have to allow at least 8 weeks. As you say the jaw is such a sensitive joint I suspect there is little to be done. At present my jaws are not sore to the touch but just notice when I try to open mouth wide .Don't think I could face taking any more medications yet, I was So so nervous about starting Mtx ! I have not done myself any good at all by looking this drug up on the web and would urge anyone else in a similar position just to put their trust in the professionals and be reassured by the regular monitoring. Anyway I am going away form my original thread so sorry.
Daisychain x

lindah

Hi,I was diagnosed with Bruxism ? syndrome years ago and sleep with a gum guard to prevent the grinding my teeth and clenching of my jaws.
Recently the pain in my jaws when I wake through the night has been horrific so I am wondering now if it's wear and tear.It's supposed to be a sympton of stress but its something I have always done. I think I need to ask the doc on Wednesday for more clarification.
Hope we all get sorted or we will become the silent majority.
Linda H 8)

elaine5000

Hi - I also get pain and stiffness in my jaw from time to time. It's usually on my right side just in front of my ear. My Dentist says it is probably linked to Arthur.

fossillady

Hi daisychain,
I have had problems with my jaw for a number of years now due to temporomadibular joint dysfunction definitely caused by my RA.
I get pain, tenderness, difficulty chewing/talking, locking and also ear pain.
Two years ago I had to have arthroscopy on both sides of my jaw to remove synovitis, clean up the surfaces to help improve function and inject steroids. At follow up appointments the Maxillofacial consultant talked me through further options in the future including jaw replacement surgery (which are apparently really successful these days). I also have botox injections into the muscles in my jaw to help with pain relief as clenching with the jaw pain my muscles have bulked up too much and become painful as well.The arthroscopy worked really well and can be repeated again to find out how damaged the joints are becoming. I think RA in the jaw is not very common but it does happen. I think in my case I have been unlucky as the meds have not stopped the damage in the jaw but have helped in other areas such as my hands. I think it's another case of swings and roundabouts again which is part and parcel of living with RA.

I hope I haven't worried you talking about my experience. I just want you to know that there are treatments out there and consultants who are experienced enough to treat it should it get worse in the future. I have had RA for 19 years now and when I started there were not many drugs available to stop progression like there are today so my jaw has suffered. I hope the MTX starts to help you improve soon. If you want to know anything else just let me know.

daisychain

Hi,

Thanks so much for your reply, you sound like you have been through the mill with your jaw problems. It is reassuring to know that there are treatments available, I am really hoping that the Mtx will ease the symptoms for me , in the meantime it won't do me any harm to take smaller amounts of food !

I will certainly make a note of your post , Thanks again.

Best Wishes from Daisychain x

magenta

fossillady wrote:

Hi daisychain,
I have had problems with my jaw for a number of years now due to temporomadibular joint dysfunction definitely caused by my RA.
I get pain, tenderness, difficulty chewing/talking, locking and also ear pain.
Two years ago I had to have arthroscopy on both sides of my jaw to remove synovitis, clean up the surfaces to help improve function and inject steroids. At follow up appointments the Maxillofacial consultant talked me through further options in the future including jaw replacement surgery (which are apparently really successful these days). I also have botox injections into the muscles in my jaw to help with pain relief as clenching with the jaw pain my muscles have bulked up too much and become painful as well.The arthroscopy worked really well and can be repeated again to find out how damaged the joints are becoming. I think RA in the jaw is not very common but it does happen. I think in my case I have been unlucky as the meds have not stopped the damage in the jaw but have helped in other areas such as my hands. I think it's another case of swings and roundabouts again which is part and parcel of living with RA.

I hope I haven't worried you talking about my experience. I just want you to know that there are treatments out there and consultants who are experienced enough to treat it should it get worse in the future. I have had RA for 19 years now and when I started there were not many drugs available to stop progression like there are today so my jaw has suffered. I hope the MTX starts to help you improve soon. If you want to know anything else just let me know.

Hello, hope Daisychain doesn't mind me invading her post. I was interested to hear of your experiences. I've been told that there's not much that can be done for me with regards my jaw. Rhuemys 'don't do' the jaw, only from shoulders down and max-facial surgeons don't see the problem with having OA in jaw-"you can still eat'!
I was diagnosed with-in their words-'spectacular OA in both sides and I have erosions in jaw bone'. The normally smooth ball and socket joint looks like jaggy teeth (hope that makes sense). My joints are way past saving. I also have the same probs as you with my muscle but I only know about botox injections from internet. Nothing has been offered to me except the mouthguard. I wish I had your team helping me. I guess I have another hurdle to climb with regards treatment. Thanks for letting us know about your experiences.
Magenta x

algipan

Hi. I have been diagnosed with OA in my jaw, and i've "chatted" with magenta about this in the past. i've recently seen a private doctor and had a CT scan - he told me my jaw is deformed due to the constant wear and tear of the joint and its looking likely i'm going to have to have an arthroscopy if not full scale surgery.
if i was you daisychain i would go see your doctor about the pain you're having and not bother with the dentist, get you doc to refer you. i see regularly an NHS consultant (it was him that referred me to the bupa doc as he suspected i would need surgery).
magenta, just read your post, you've got to go see your doc again. i've had botox in my jaw, and several steroid jabs over the years so there's lots that can be done. you're entitled to a referral, do in there and sort them out!