Jaw and
neck pain from Bruxism can be occlusal in origin or of
organic pathology. An accurate diagnosis is most
important before taking corrective measures to find
relief from Bruxism pain.
Jaw and
neck pain associated with
Bruxism
Bruxism is
an oral condition that manifests in teeth grinding and
(or) teeth clenching. This condition is usually
associated with night time teeth grinding during sleep,
but Bruxism can occur as a diurnal symptom as well.
Mostly,
Bruxism exists as a common phenomenon in children who
outgrow the condition as they grow up. Sometimes Bruxism
is accompanied with pain which could be related to or
caused by several factors. Bruxism is a multifactorial
condition and can have many causal factors associated
with it. Pain associated with Bruxism can originate from
conditions that are as wide ranging as a jaw disorder or
stress related conditions. Sometimes the pain itself
(arising due to another unrelated factor) can cause
Bruxism teeth grinding symptoms to appear. Myofascial
pain is triggered by the literal overuse of the facial
muscles.
Such types
of pain usually exhibits typically as severe jaw pain
(many times accompanied with neck and shoulder pain) on
waking up from night sleep. This type of pain could be
one sided or it can appear to be on both sides of the
face.
Jaw and
neck pain from Bruxism
Bruxism
related pain that manifests as jaw and neck pain can be
triggered by the following:
- Chronic
Bruxism resulting in jaw and neck pain because of the
constant teeth grinding motions (the Bruxism itself
could be brought on by several
factors)
- Teeth
grinding triggered by stress and anxiety often cause
enough tension in the jaw muscles to cause severe pain
in the jaw and neck areas of the
body
- Jaw bone
dysfunction or mal adjustment causing teeth grinding
actions and pain thereafter
- Upper
spinal cord dysfunction or cervical problems creating
pain in the neck as well as shoulder regions. Such
pathological origins can cause Bruxism teeth grinding
and associated pain
- Injury
or inflammation can sometimes lead to jaw joint
disorder or ear problems, triggering Bruxism as well
as pain
- Sometimes
abdominal problems are known to trigger Bruxism and
the resultant pain after long term teeth grinding
habits
Seeking
relief from Bruxism pain:
- Holistic
and multidisciplinary approach to finding out the root
cause of the Bruxism condition
- Exercises
to relax the jaw muscles
- Stress
reduction / relaxation
techniques
