Recent Blog Articles
HIV rates rising: Could new forms of PrEP help?
Careful! Scary health news can be harmful to your health
Post-pandemic weight loss: There’s an app for that
Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia by telemedicine: Is it as good as in-person treatment?
Prediabetes diagnosis as an older adult: What does it really mean?
Is blood sugar monitoring without diabetes worthwhile?
Large review study finds low risk of erectile dysfunction after prostate biopsy
Does exercise help protect against severe COVID-19?
A new Alzheimer’s drug has been approved. But should you take it?
Need physical therapy? 3 key questions your PT will ask
Pain
Oh, my aching jaw
Diagnosing the underlying cause of jaw, mouth, and face pain is crucial to getting relief.
Sometimes, it's a dull painful ache on the side of your face. In other cases, you may feel a sharp pain accompanied by a popping or clicking noise when you chew. Or you may have a problem biting down.
While these various symptoms were once commonly grouped together under the umbrella of temporomandibular joint problems, casually abbreviated as TMJ, today we know that there are different underlying reasons for mouth, jaw, and face pain — what doctors call orofacial pain — and not all of them are caused by problems with the temporomandibular joint itself.
To continue reading this article, you must log in.
Subscribe to Harvard Health Online for immediate access to health news and information from Harvard Medical School.
- Research health conditions
- Check your symptoms
- Prepare for a doctor's visit or test
- Find the best treatments and procedures for you
- Explore options for better nutrition and exercise
I'd like to receive access to Harvard Health Online for only $4.99 a month.
Sign Me UpAlready a member? Login ».
Disclaimer:
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
