Diagnosis

A first trend-setting diagnosis can be made by the affected person himself through a simple examination. For this purpose, the index fingers should be placed on the temporomandibular joints in front of the ears and then the mouth should be opened and closed clearly several times. If the patient feels a painful sensation in the temporomandibular joint itself at the points where the fingers rest, this is more likely to indicate a problem with the jaw.

A subsequent inspection of the teeth can provide additional information. In these cases, patients should consult a dentist for further diagnosis. If, on the other hand, the complaints are more likely to be accompanied by a ringing in the ears or a disturbance of hearing, the ear, nose and throat specialist should be consulted for medical clarification. He or she should also be consulted if there are signs of infection such as fever or persistent pain in the ear area that does not involve movement.

Accompanying symptoms of pain in jaw and ear

Swollen lymph nodes in the neck usually always indicate a reaction of the body’s own immune system to an infection. If jaw and ear pain are present at the same time, various structures may be inflamed. Above all, it is teeth that can be inflamed, for example by caries.

If the bacteria enter the bloodstream through the inflamed tooth, they are transported away with the blood stream. The local lymph nodes in the area of the neck then recognize the pathogens as foreign to the body and reactively initiate a defense reaction of the body. This includes attracting immune cells to the site of action, which then settle in the lymph nodes.

Those affected then notice this process in swollen lymph nodes. In itself, a swelling of the lymph nodes in the course of an inflammation is natural and should be observed in the course of treatment. If the swollen lymph nodes are associated with ear pain, this is more likely to be an accompanying infection of the upper respiratory tract with impairment of the middle ear. Here, too, the swollen lymph nodes represent an intact immune system.